Rose Marie dies at 94: Here's her recent chat with azcentral about her long career, fame and friends

Celebrities who have died

Dec. 28, 2017: Rose Marie, whose career spanned from vaudeville to the Twitter era, has died at age 94. The entertainer initially gained fame as a child singer, with her own coast-to-coast radio program. Later came Broadway and nightclub work, but she found her greatest fame on TV, where she played wisecracking Sally Rogers on TV's "The Dick Van Dyke Show." She earned three Emmy nominations for the role, seen as a early example of a successful working woman. She later appeared on "The Doris Day Show" and "The Hollywood Squares." In the '70s, she was part of the supergroup 4 Girls 4, along with Rosemary Clooney, Margaret Whiting and Helen O'Connell. This year, she was the subject of "Wait for Your Laugh," a documentary that looked at "the longest career in showbiz history." Rose Marie

Celebrities who have died

Dec. 16, 2017: Keely Smith, a swinging vocalist who won a Grammy as part of a successful duo with her husband, Louis Prima, has died. Smith and Prima's frantic take on "That Old Black Magic" became a major pop hit in 1958, and earned a Grammy. Prima and Smith became one of the top nightclub acts in the country with a ribald show that emphasized his outgoing wackiness and her deadpan reactions. The marriage ended in 1961, and Smith continued to record and perform as a solo artist. She released more than 20 albums on such labels as Capitol, Reprise, Dot and, most recently, Concord Records. Smith was 89; her publicist told Variety that she suffered from heart failure. Special for The Republic

Celebrities who have died

Dec. 12, 2017: Pat DiNizio, guitarist, songwriter and frontman for New Jersey band the Smithereens, has died. The group announced the death of the 62-year-old musician on their website. "Pat was looking forward to getting back on the road and seeing his many fans and friends. Please keep Pat in your thoughts and prayers," the statement reads. DiNizio was sidelined by health issues in recent years; a pair of falls caused serious nerve damage, according to Variety. The group's biggest hits include "A Girl Like You" (1989), "Top of the Pops" 1991) and "Too Much Passion" (1992). No cause of death was released. Special for The Republic

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Dec. 6, 2017: Johnny Hallyday, one of the biggest singing stars France ever produced, has died. Dubbed "The French Elvis," Hallyday's career began in the '50s, offering French-language versions of U.S. rock and roll hits. However, his career never faded, with the performer remaining a chart presence and major concert draw throughout his life. He also gained acclaim as a serious actor, starring recently in such films as "The Man on the Train" (2002) and "Vengeance" (2009). A turbulent personal life brought him great notoriety, including a tempestuous marriage to actress Sylvie Vartan and two suicide attempts. In March, according to the New York Times, Hallyday announced that he had lung cancer. Survivors include his wife, Laeticia; and four children, including entertainer David Hallyday. He was 74. Fred Payet/AFP/Getty Images

Celebrities who have died

Nov. 30, 2017: Jim Nabors, who played lovable Gomer Pyle on two hit CBS series, has died at age 87. Nabors introduced the naive character on "The Andy Griffith Show." He proved so popular that Nabors was spun-off into his own series, "Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C.," which ran for five seasons, ending in 1969. In addition to his TV career, he was a successful recording artist, releasing several albums on Columbia Records between 1965 and 1972. He sang easy-listening pop favorites in a deep, operatic baritone that was miles away from Pyle's goofy image. He lived in Hawaii for more than 30 years, according to the Hollywood Reporter, who reported news of the death. Bill Preston/The Tennessean

Celebrities who have died

Oct. 25, 2017: Jack Bannon, an actor who spent five seasons playing an assistant city editor on the newsroom drama "Lou Grant," has died. Bannon, the son of actors Bea Benaderet and Jim Bannon ("Red Ryder"), began racking up TV credits in the '60s. He appeared with his mother on her hit program "Petticoat Junction," as well as such shows as "The Beverly Hillbillies, "Here's Lucy," "The Andy Griffith Show" and "Mannix." He landed a regular role as Donovan, a smart journalist, in "Lou Grant," which ran from 1977-1982. He also starred in the 1983 ABC series "Trauma Center," and made multiple appearances on "St. Elsewhere," "Falcon Crest" and "Knots Landing." He moved to Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, in 1995 with his wife, actress Ellen Travolta, sister of John Travolta. She survives Bannon, who was 77. His death first was reported by the Spokesman-Review in Idaho. CBS

Celebrities who have died

Oct. 24, 2017: Fats Domino, one of the pioneers of rock and roll, has died at age 89. In the '50s and early '60s, the piano-playing musician from New Orleans crafted a string of indelible hit records, including "Ain't That a Shame," "Blueberry Hill," "I'm Walkin'" and "Blue Monday." During his career, he received a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award, the National Medal of the Arts and admission into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Doug Parker, AP

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Oct. 24, 2017: Robert Guillaume, an actor who found great success on stage and on television, has died. Guillaume is probably best known to audiences for playing Benson DuBois, first on ABC's "Soap" and then in his own spin-off, "Benson." The role of the acerbic butler-turned-politico earned the actor two Emmys. He also earned a Tony nomination for his role in a 1977 revival of "Guys and Dolls" and lent his voice to Rafiki in Disney's animated classic "The Lion King." The actor was 89. Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images

Celebrities who have died

Oct. 16, 2017: Roy Dotrice, an award-winning actor with a screen career that dates back to the '50s, has died. The British actor earned a Tony Award in 2000 for his Broadway role in "A Moon for the Misbegotten." In 2008, he was named an Officer of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire. His best-known works include the TV series "Beauty and the Beast" (1987-1990) and "Picket Fences" (1996-1997), and such films as "Amadeus" (1984) and "The Scarlet Letter" (1995). Most recently, he appeared in two episodes of "Game of Thrones." His wife, Kay Dotrice, who died in 2007, was also an actress, as are the couple's three children. Daughter Karen Dotrice is best-known for playing Jane Banks in 1964's "Mary Poppins." Dotrice, 94, died at his home in London. Richard Drew/Associated Press

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Sept. 30, 2017: Elizabeth Baur, an actress best-remembered as police consultant Fran Belding on TV's "Ironside," has died. Born in Los Angeles, Baur made her film debut in 1968's "The Boston Strangler" with Tony Curtis. That same year, she landed the female lead in the CBS Western "Lancer," which ran for two seasons. She joined the Raymond Burr mystery "Ironside" in 1971 and stayed until the NBC show ended in 1975. She made guest appearances on such programs as "Room 222," "Nanny and the Professor" and "Emergency!" Baur gradually exited the industry to focus on her family, though she returned for the 1993 reunion film "The Return of Ironside." She was hospitalized following a lengthy illness, according to the Hollywood Reporter. She was 69. CBS

Celebrities who have died

Oct. 8, 2017: Jean Rochefort, a major star in French cinema for more than five decades, has died. Skilled in both comedy and drama, the mustachioed star made his film debut in 1956's "Meeting in Paris." He won three Cesar awards, the French equivalent of the Oscar, including an Honorary Cesar in 1999. Among his best-known films in the United States: 1996's "Ridicule," 1994's "Ready to Wear," 2002's "Man on the Train," 1980's "I Sent a Letter to My Love," 1979's "French Postcards" and 1972's "The Tall Blond Man with One Black Shoe." Rochefort was 87. Cohen Media Group

Celebrities who have died

Oct. 6, 2017: Comedian Ralphie May, who finished in second place on "Last Comic Standing," has died. His success in 2003 on the series led to a spike in popularity, with the comic emerging as one of the top draws on the stand-up circuit. He hosted six specials — four on Comedy Central and two on Netflix. He currently had a residency at Harrah's in Las Vegas and was named Casino Comedian of the Year this week at the Global Gaming Expo. May, who was 45, died of cardiac arrest, his publicist confirmed to Variety. Special for The Republic

Celebrities who have died

Oct. 2, 2017: Tom Petty, the influential rocker behind such classics as "Don't Do Me Like That," "Free Fallin'" and "Mary Jane's Last Dance," has died. Petty, along with his band the Heartbreakers, played their final show last week at the Hollywood Bowl. It was the conclusion of the band's 40th anniversary tour. The musician suffered full cardiac arrest on Sunday night, according to TMZ, and died Monday in UCLA Santa Monica Hospital. He was 66. Gary Gershoff/Getty Images

Celebrities who have died

Sept. 30, 2017: Monty Hall, the original host of the television game show "Let's Make a Deal," has died of heart failure. Hall, along with writer and producer Stefan Hatos, created "Let's Make a Deal" in 1963. He eventually appeared on nearly 5,000 episodes that aired on NBC, ABC and in syndication. Hall died of heart failure, according to the New York Times. He was 96. Ray Mickshaw/FremantleMedia North America

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Playboy founder Hugh Hefner died at age 91 on Sept. 27, 2017. He died of natural causes at his home in Los Angeles surrounded by family. Getty Images

Celebrities who have died

Sept. 25, 2017: Liz Dawn, a British actress who starred on the U.K. soap "Coronation Street" for more than 30 years, has died. The actress appeared on the show as tart-tongued Vera Duckworth from 1974 to 2008. The actress was diagnosed with emphysema in the early 2000s, and Vera was written out of the show in 2008, dying in her sleep. According to the Associated Press, she is is survived by her husband Don Ibbetson; four children; six grandchildren;and three great-grandchildren. Gareth Cattermole/Getty Images

Celebrities who have died

Sept. 25, 2017: Tony Booth, an actor whose daughter married former Prime Minister Tony Blair, has died. Booth gained great success playing Mike in "'Till Death Us Do Part." The sitcom ran for a decade and was remade for the U.S. market as "All in the Family," with Rob Reiner playing Booth's counterpart. Booth also had a film career with roles in such movies as "Corruption" (1968) and "Brannigan" (1975). His daughter, Cherie, married future Prime Minister Tony Blair in 1980. Booth was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease in 2004. He was 85. Peter Macdiarmid/Getty Images

Celebrities who have died

Sept. 19, 2017: Bernie Casey, a former pro football player who went on to a successful acting career, has died. Casey played wide receiver for the San Francisco 49ers and the Los Angeles Rams before returning to Bowling Green State University to get a master's degree in fine arts. He then made his film debut in "Guns of the Magnificent Seven" (1969). Later performances included "Brian's Song" (1971); "Cleopatra Jones" (1973), "The Man Who Fell to Earth" (1976) and "I'm Gonna Get You Sucka" (1988). Casey died after a brief illness, his talent agent told the Associated Press. He was 78. Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images

Sept. 15, 2017: Sept. 15, 2017: Harry Dean Stanton,

Celebrities who have died

Sept. 15, 2017: Harry Dean Stanton, noted Hollywood character actor, died at age 91 in Los Angeles. With a 60-year-long resume, Stanton appeared in more than 200 movies and TV shows, creating memorable roles in films like "Repo Man," "Godfather II," "Pretty in Pink" and "Escape from New York." Getty Images

Celebrities who have died

Sept. 8, 2017: Don Williams, country music's "gentle giant," has died at age 78. With a soft-spoken, plaintive style, the singer-songwriter was a major force on the '70s and '80s country scene, putting 17 songs in the No. 1 spot on Billboard. These include such classics as "'Til the Rivers All Run Dry," "I Believe in You," "Lord, I Hope This Day Good" and "If Hollywood Don't Need You (Honey I Still Do)." In 2010, he was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame. He died after a short illness, according to Billboard. Special to The Republic

Celebrities who have died

Sept. 8, 2017: Troy Gentry, half of the country duo Montgomery Gentry, has died in a helicopter crash. The news was reported through the band's Twitter account. The crash occurred in Medford, N.J.; the duo was scheduled to perform there tonight. The duo enjoyed its peak popularity during the first part of the century, with songs like "If You Ever Stop Loving Me," and "Back When I Knew It All." Gentry was 50. Terry Wyatt/ Getty Images

Celebrities who have died

Sept. 1, 2017: Shelley Berman, a comic whose acerbic take on modern life made him a top stand-up comedian in the late '50s and early '60s, has died. His biting routines helped redefine comedy; along with the likes of Lenny Bruce and Mort Sahl, he helped add a contemporary sophistication to the medium. Beyond his comedy career, he also appeared on Broadway and in films and television. A younger generation knows him for playing the father of Larry David's character on "Curb Your Enthusiasm." Berman was 92. David Livingston, Getty Images

Aug. 31: Actor Richard Anderson, who simultaneously

Celebrities who have died

Aug. 31 2017: Actor Richard Anderson, who simultaneously appeared on two prime-time hits in the 1970s, has died. Anderson, a tall, handsome actor with a dignified air, played Oscar Goldman on both "The Six Million Dollar Man" (1973-1978) and "The Bionic Woman" (1976-1978), making him one of the era's most ubiquitous faces. His long career also included appearances on "Thriller," "The Untouchables," "The Invaders" and "The Big Valley." Anderson was 91. Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images

Celebrities who have died

Aug. 24, 2017: Jay Thomas, a comedic actor best known for his work on such '80s era sitcoms as "Cheers" and "Murphy Brown," has died. Thomas played Eddie LeBec, a Boston Bruins hockey player, from 1987 to 1989 on "Cheers." Later came a run as the sometimes-boyfriend of the title character of "Murphy Brown" (1989-1998). He also headlined "Love and War," a 1992-1995 sitcom in which he starred opposite both Susan Dey and Annie Potts. He was also a favorite guest of David Letterman, appearing on the host's show during the Christmas season from 1998 to 2014. Thomas, who was suffering from cancer, was 69. Michael Loccisano/Getty Images

Celebrities who have died

August 20, 2017: Jerry Lewis, legendary comedic who teamed with Dean Martin in the 1950s, died at his home in Las Vegas. Lewis also starred in 'The Bellboy' and 'The Nutty Professor' and hosted the Labor Day telethon for decades. Andrew H. Walker/Getty Images

Celebrities who have died

Aug. 19, 2017: Dick Gregory, a comedic legend and civil rights activist, was one of the first black comedians to find success with white audiences in the early 1960s. With humble backgrounds of an impoverished childhood in St. Louis, Gregory became a celebrated satirist. Matt Sayles/Invision/AP

Celebrities who have died

Aug. 13, 2017: Joseph Bologna, an actor, writer and director who earned an Oscar nomination in a durable career, has died at age 82. As a performer, the handsome Bologna often projected a tough New York edge (he was born in Brooklyn). He was perhaps best-known for his role as King Kaiser, an abrasive TV star in the 1982 comedy "My Favorite Year." Other film work included "Chapter Two" (1979), "Blame It On Rio" (1984) and "Ice Age: The Meltdown" (2006). As a writer, he won an Oscar nomination for the 1971 comedy "Lovers and Other Strangers;" he earned an Emmy Award for writing the 1973 TV special "Acts of Love and Other Comedies." Both projects were collaborations with his wife, actress Renee Taylor, whom he married in 1965. In 2017, Bologna received a lifetime achievement award at the Night of 100 Stars Oscar Gala. Bologna had been fighting pancreatic cancer. Taylor survives him. Frazer Harrison/Getty Images

Celebrities who have died

Aug. 8, 2017: Glen Campbell, a guitarist and singer who won 10 Grammy Awards and recorded such classics as "Wichita Lineman," "By the Time I Get to Phoenix" and "Rhinestone Cowboy," has died at age 81. The singer, who lived in the Phoenix area for more than 22 years, had been suffering from Alzheimer's disease for several years. Campbell's death was announced by his family through his official website. Danny Johnston/Associated Press

Aug. 7, 2017: Barbara Cook, an iconic Broadway soprano

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Aug. 8, 2017: Barbara Cook, an iconic Broadway soprano who starred in "The Music Man," "Candide" and "Carousel," has died at age 89. Cook won a Tony playing Marian, a small-town librarian, in "The Music Man" opposite Robert Preston in 1957. Other shows included revivals of "Carousel" (1957) and "The King and I" (1960)," plus straight acting roles in "Any Wednesday" (1965) and "Little Murders" (1967). Later, she had a career rebirth as cabaret singer, playing Manhattan's toniest nightspots and recording an acclaimed series of albums. In 2011, she was a Kennedy Center honoree. She announced her retirement this year. Mike Coppola/Getty Images

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Aug. 3, 2017: Ty Hardin, a handsome actor who gained fame playing a former Confederate officer on the 1958-1962 ABC Western "Bronco," has died. Hardin's character, Bronco Layne, also appeared on the programs "Cheyenne" and "Sugarfoot." On the big screen, he starred in "PT 109" (1963), "Palm Springs Weekend" (1963) and "Battle of the Bulge" (1964). He later settled in Prescott and formed an anti-government group that evolved into the Arizona Patriots militia movement. Hardin died in Huntington Beach, Calif. He was 87. Earl McCartney/The Arizona Republic

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July 25, 2017: Hywel Bennett, a British actor who first came to public attention in the '60s playing wide-eyed young men, has died at age 73. He appeared as Hayley Mills' first onscreen husband in "The Family Way" (1966); the two later starred in "Twisted Nerve" (1968) and "Endless Night" (1972). As he matured, he worked on British TV, starring in such programs as "Shelley," "Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy" and "East Enders." The BBC reports that he died July 25, but his family didn't announce the news until Aug. 3, 2017. Special for The Republic

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Aug. 3, 2017: Robert Hardy, a veteran British stage and screen actor who played Cornelius Fudge in the "Harry Potter" movies, has died. Between 1978 and 1990, Hardy played the eccentric veterinarian Siegfried Farnon in "All Creatures Great and Small," a popular TV series based on James Herriot's books about rural life in the Yorkshire Dales. Hardy was 91. Ian Gavan/Getty Images

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July 31, 2017: Actor and playwright Sam Shepard has died from complications from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or Lou Gehrig's disease, his family announced on Monday. His 1979 play "Buried Child" won the Pulitzer Prize, and he earned Pulitzer nominations for "Fool for Love" and "True West." As an actor, he projected a laconic sensibility, earning an Oscar nomination for playing astronaut Chuck Yeager in "The Right Stuff" (1979). Other film works includes "Steel Magnolias," "Days of Heaven" and "The Pelican Brief." He starred opposite Jessica Lange in "Frances" (1982) and "Country" (1984); the two were a couple for nearly 30 years before splitting 2009. Shepard was 73. Jakub Mosur

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July 31, 2017: Jeanne Moreau, one of France's most acclaimed actresses, has died at age 89. She was considered the first lady of the French new wave film movement, largely thanks to her role in "Jules and Jim" (1962). Other notable films in her lengthy career include "La Notte" (1961), "The Lovers" (1958) and "The Bride Wore Black" (1968). Moreau was also known for a colorful personal life, which included a marriage to director William Friedkin (1977-1979) and relationships with directors Louis Malle and Francois Truffaut, trumpeter Miles Davis and designer Pierre Cardin. Fred Dufour/AFP/Getty Images

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July 25, 2017: Michael Johnson, a vocalist who enjoyed major success on both the pop and country charts, has died. Johnson, born in Colorado, gained national attention when his mellow 1978 ballad "Bluer Than Blue" reached the pop top 20, as well as topping the adult-contemporary charts. Follow-up singles like "This Night Won't Last Forever" and "Almost Like Being in Love" kept him in the top 40. After his pop success waned, he turned to country music. He scored a Top 10 hit in 1985 with "I Love You By Heart," a duet with Sylvia. He followed that with five additional top 10 hits on the country charts, including "Give Me Wings" (1986) and "The Moon is Still Over Her Shoulder" (1987) both reaching No. 1. His last album, "Moonlit Déjà Vu," appeared in 2012. Johnson died at home in Minneapolis after a lengthy illness, according to Rolling Stone. He was 72. Atlantic Records

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July 26, 2017: June Foray, a voice actress who gave life to Rocky the Flying Squirrel and evil Natasha Fatale on "The Rocky and Bullwinkle Show," has died. Foray, often referred to as the first lady of voice acting, also portrayed Nell from “Dudley Do-Right,” Granny in the “Tweety and Sylvester” cartoons and Cindy Lou Who in Chuck Jones’ “How the Grinch Stole Christmas.” She was the subject of a 2013 documentary, “The One and Only June Foray." Foray was 99. Patrick Liotta/The Great Falls Tribune

July 25, 2017: Barbara Sinatra, philanthropist and

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July 25, 2017: Barbara Sinatra, a philanthropist and widow of Frank Sinatra, has died. Previously married to comic Zeppo Marx, Sinatra was a prominent Palm Springs, Calif., socialite when she became Sinatra's third wife in 1976. The two were married until his death in 1998. She used her husband's fund-raising clout to build the Barbara Sinatra Children's Center to help abused children at Eisenhower Medical Center, and wrote a 2011 memoir, "Lady Blue Eyes." Famously, she also didn't get on particularly well with Sinatra's three children, a subject she didn't discuss in the book. Barbara Sinatra was 90. Brendan Hoffman/Getty Images

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July 22, 2017: Jim Vance, a prominent news anchor in the nation's capital, has died. Vance spent 45 years as an anchor at the NBC affiliate in Washington, D.C., becoming a fixture to viewers. His popularity led to film and TV appearances in which he invariably played himself, including TV's "The Blacklist" and the 2009 film "State of Play." Vance was was 75 years old. Vance told viewers earlier this year that he was undergoing treatment for cancer. Robin Fader/Associated Press

Actor John Heard, best known for playing Macaulay Culkin's

Celebrities who have died

July 21, 2017: John Heard, a gifted character actor who worked for more than four decades in TV and film, has died at age 72. Although best-known for his role as a absent-minded dad in the "Home Alone" films, he earned critical acclaim for his work in "Chilly Scenes of Winter," "Cutter's Way" and "Cat People." On TV, he played a dirty cop in five episodes of "The Sopranos," in addition to guest roles on "Elementary," "Person of Interest" and "Kate & Allie." According to Variety, the actor was found dead in a hotel in Palo Alto, Calif., where he was reportedly recovering from back surgery. Getty Images

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July 20: Chester Bennington, the Phoenix native who rose to fame as the leader of Linkin Park, has committed suicide. The Los Angeles County coroner confirmed the death to the Los Angeles Times. The musician was found dead at about 9 a.m. Thursday, July 20. Bennington hanged himself, according to the Los Angeles Times. Bennington, 41, is survived by a spouse and six children, according to the site Rich Fury/Getty Images

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July 16, 2017: George A. Romero, the director who launched the modern zombie film genre with 1968's "Night of the Living Dead," has died. Romero made films outside of the zombie realm, including "Martin" (1977), "Creepshow" (1982) and "Monkey Shines" (1988), but he was best known for the "Living Dead" series of films, which include "Dawn of the Dead" (1978), "Day of the Dead" (1985) and "Land of the Dead" (2005). He died after a battle with lung cancer, according to Variety. He was 77. Lars Niki/Getty Images

Celebrities who have died

July 15, 2017: Martin Landau, an Oscar-winning actor whose career dates back to the '50, has died. A member of the Actor's Studio, Landau made his Broadway debut in 1957 in "Middle of the Night." Later came roles in such films as "Cleopatra" and "The Greatest Story Ever Told" before finding major fame as the "man of a million face" on TV's "Mission: Impossible." Though work never slowed, he experienced a career resurgence starting in the late '80s, earning Oscar nominations for "Tucker: The Man and His Dream" and "Crimes and Misdemeanors." He won the Academy Award in 1994 for playing Bela Lugosi in "Ed Wood." Landau was 89; he died in Los Angeles. Mike Coppola/Getty Images

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July 8, 2017: Nelsan Ellis, who played sly short-order cook Lafayette Reynolds on the HBO hit "True Blood," has died. The actor died of complications from heart failure, according to USA Today. He also had regular roles on "Elementary" and "The Inside." He was 39. HBO

Celebrities who have died

June 27, 2017: Michael Nyqvist, a Swedish actor who starred in the original "The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo" trilogy, has died at age 56. Though best-known for his work in Swedish-language films, Nyqvist branched out to English-language projects, playing dastardly European villains in such films as "Mission: Impossible — Ghost Protocol” and "John Wick." In "The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo" films, he starred as Blomkvist, the role played by Daniel Craig in the English-language remake. Nyqvist was battling cancer, according to the Hollywood Reporter. Joerg Koch/Getty Images

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June 15, 2017: Bill Dana, a nightclub comic whose character Jose Jimenez became a national sensation, has died. Dana worked as head writer on "The Steve Allen Plymouth Show," which is where he introduced the Jimenez character in 1959. The character, a naive, innocent man who spoke broken English, later got his own TV series, "The Bill Dana Show." There were also several bestselling comedy albums, including "My Name... Jose JImenez," "Jose Jimenez the Astronaut" and "Jose Jimenez in Orbit." Dana was later made an honory Mercury astronaut due to Jose's popularity. Dana was honored by the National Hispanic Media Coalition for the character, who was seen as a positive role model (although Dana was not of Hispanic descent). He retired the character but continued to perform, appearing on "St. Elsewhere" and "The Golden Girls." Dana was 92. ABC

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June 16, 2017: Stephen Furst, a comedic actor best known as innocent Flounder in "Animal House," has died. The cherubic-faced actor later starred in such films as "Midnight Madness" and "Scavenger Hunt," and appeared in the popular '80s medical drama "St. Elsewhere" as Dr. Axelrod. According to the Hollywood Reporter, he died of complications from diabetes. Furst was 63. Universal Pictures

Celebrities who have died

June 13, 2017: Anita Pallenberg, an actress and model who became a symbol of the quintessential '60s groupie, has died. Pallenberg's film work includes "Candy" (1968), "Barbarella" (1968) and "Performance" (1970), but she is better known for her connections to the Rolling Stones. She initially was involved with Brian Jones of the band, then later Keith Richards, whom she was partnered with until 1980. She is also credited with singing background vocals on the band's "Sympathy for the Devil." Survivors include two children with Richards, according to the Hollywood Reporter. She was 73. Warner Bros.

June 9, 2017: Adam West, the actor who played Caped

Celebrities who have died

June 9, 2017: Adam West, the actor who played the Caped Crusader on the classic '60s TV show "Batman," has died. The program only ran from 1966 to 1968 but made West a star. It also typecast the actor, who found it difficult to break away from the "Batman" image. He later found voice work on "Family Guy" and sent up his image on such TV programs as "The Big Bang Theory," "Murphy Brown" and "NewsRadio." West died from leukemia, according to the Hollywood Reporter. He was 88. Mike Coppola/Getty Images

Celebrities who have died

June 8, 2017: Glenne Headly, a talented actress who starred in such films as "Dirty Rotten Scoundrels," "Mr Holland's Opus" and "Dick Tracy," has died. A big-screen leading lady in the '80s and '90s, she also found work on the small screen, appearing in "Lonesome Dove" and "ER." Last summer, she was seen in HBO's drama miniseries "The Night Of." She had been in production for the upcoming Hulu sitcom "Future Man" from Seth Rogen. She was 62; no cause of death was released. Evan Agostini/Getty Images

Celebrities who have died

June 4, 2017: Roger Smith, a handsome TV star who abandoned acting to guide the career of his wife, Ann-Margret, has died. Smith, a contract player for Warner Bros., became a major star playing a hip private eye in "77 Sunset Strip," which ran on ABC from 1958-1964. Smith married actress and singer Ann-Margret in 1967, and stopped performing to manage her career. In 1965, Smith was diagnosed with myasthenia gravis; he battled the disease throughout the years. Smith was 84; Ann-Margret survives him. Warner Bros.

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May 30, 2017: Elena Verdugo, an actress who earned two Emmy nominations as nurse Consuelo Lopez on TV's "Marcus Welby, M.D.," has died. Verdugo's long career includes roles in the 1945 horror film "House of Frankenstein" and 1950's "Cyrano de Bergerac" with Jose Ferrer. She also played the title character, a secretary, in the 1952-1956 CBS sitcom "Meet Millie." Still, it was her role as a devoted nurse working for the title character (played by Robert Young, pictured with Verdugo) on ABC's "Marcus Welby, M.D." that brought her the greatest fame. The show ran from 1969 to 1976, and was the top-rated series the for the 1970-1971 season. Verdugo died in Los Angeles, according to the Hollywood Reporter. She was 92. ABC

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May 27, 2017: Gregg Allman, seen in 2011, died at age 69 in Savannah, Ga., his publicist said. Allman's work with the Allman Brothers Band set the stage for Southern rock, jam bands and influenced several generations of players. AP file photo

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May 24, 2017: Jared Martin, a handsome actor who was a constant presence on '70s TV, has died. Best known for playing Dusty Farlow in 34 episodes of the nighttime CBS soap "Dallas," Martin also headlined two sci-fi series: "The Fantastic Journey" (1977) and "The War of the Worlds" (1988-1990). Quite busy in the '70s and '80s, his resume included guest spots on "Medical Center," "The Partridge Family," "Night Gallery, "The Love Boat," "Wonder Woman" and "Murder, She Wrote." Martin retired from acting but never stopped working; last year, he made his directorial debut with the Treat Williams feature film "The Congressman." Martin died of pancreatic cancer, according to the Hollywood Reporter. He was 75. Paramount Pictures

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May 23, 2017: Roger Moore, a debonair leading man who played James Bond in more films than anyone else, has died at age 89. From 1973 to 1985, Moore starred in seven Bond films, including "Live and Let Die," "The Spy Who Loved Me," "For Your Eyes Only" and "A View to a Kill." Prior to his work as Ian Fleming's 007, Moore starred as a spy on the small screen in "The Saint" (1962-1969) and played opposite Tony Curtis in "The Persuaders!" (1971-1972). Post-Bond, he often sent up his image in films like "Spice World" (1997). In 2003, he was knighted; in 2008,, he received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Moore was suffering from cancer, according to a statement from his family. Associated Press

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May 22, 2017: Dina Merrill, a sophisticated blonde actress with a long film and TV career, has died at 93. Merrill, whose best -known films include "Operation Petticoat" (1959), "Butterfield 8" (1960) and "The Courtship of Eddie's Father" (1963), often played women of privilege; it came naturally to the actress, who was the daughter of broker E.F. Hutton and cereal heiress Marjorie Merriweather Post. Merrill also appeared on Broadway and worked on TV through the early 2000s. She is survived by her husband, actor and and investment banker Ted Hartley; she previously was married to actor Cliff Robertson from 1966-1989. Nancy Ostertag, Getty Images

Celebrities who have died

May 21, 2017: Jimmy LaFave, an Austin-based singer-songwriter who achieved great popularity on the Americana circuit, has died after a battle with cancer. LaFave was diagnosed with the disease in 2016 but didn't announce his condition until this year. On May 19, he appeared onstage in a wheelchair at an Austin concert held in his honor. He introduced his 19-year-old son to the audience and said, "Take care of him for me, please. I love him so very, very much," according to newspaper the Mirror. In an interview in April with the Houston Chronicle, LaFave said doctors had found between 15 and 20 tumors in his chest. He was 61. Special for The Republic

Celebrities who have died

May 17, 2017: Chris Cornell, a dynamic leader of the '90s grunge scene, has died at age 52. The Soundgarden singer was found on the bathroom floor of his hotel room following a concert in Detroit. Police are investigating the death as a possible suicide. Kevin Winter/Getty Images for EBMRF

Celebrities who have died

May 14, 2017: Powers Boothe, an Emmy-winning actor who moved between and film, has died at age 68. The Texan came to prominence playing the lead role of cult leader Jim Jones in "Guyana Tragedy: The Story of Jim Jones." His charismatic performance earned an Emmy, and he became a fixture on TV and the big screen. His film work includes "Southern Comfort (1981); "Red Dawn" (1984); "Tombstone" (1993) and "Sin City" (2005). On TV, he had regular roles on "Philip Marlowe, Private Eye," "Deadwood," "24," "Nashville" and, most recently "Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D." According the Hollywood Reporter, the star died of natural causes. He was 68. Frazer Harrison/Getty Images

Celebrities who have died

May 10, 2017: Michael Parks, a '60s heartthrob who later re-emerged as a successful character actor and Quentin Tarantino favorite, has died. His screen career started in the early '60s with guest spots on such programs as "The Real McCoys" and "Perry Mason." The 1969-1970 NBC drama "Then Came Bronson," in which he played a motorcycle-riding drifter, turned him into a bonafide teen idol; his recording of "Long Lonesome Highway," the show's closing theme, even reached No. 20 on the national pop charts. Parks was a familiar presence on TV in the '70s and '80s, but a rebirth began to occur in the next century, as he transitioned into a somewhat grizzled character actor with roles in Tarantino's "Django Unchained," "Grindhouse" and "Kill Bill" franchise. He was 77. A cause of death has not been disclosed, according to the Hollywood Reporter. Special for The Republic

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April 26, 2017: Jonathan Demme, the Oscar-winning director of "The Silence of the Lambs," has died. The 1991 thriller starring Jodie Foster became the third film in history to win Academy Awards in all the top five categories (picture, actor, actress, director and screenplay). Demme's other films include "Melvin and Howard," "Philadelphia," "Something Wild" and the 2004 remake of "The Manchurian Candidate." He also helmed such documentaries as "Stop Making Sense" and "Cousin Bobby." His latest film, "Ricki and the Flash," was released in 2015. Demme, 73, died from complications due to heart disease and esophageal cancer, according to Rolling Stone. Cindy Ord/Getty Images

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April 22, 2017: Erin Moran, who spent her adolescence playing Joanie on the top-rated '70s sitcom 'Happy Days," has died. The former child star was found unresponsive by authorities on Saturday in Indiana, according to the Hollywood Reporter. Moran was 13 when she began playing the role in 1974; she was still on the series when it ended in 1984. In between, she starred in a 1982-1983 spin-off, "Joanie Loves Chachi," in which she co-starred with Scott Baio. Her acting career sputtered once "Happy Days" ended, though she occasionally appeared on reality programs such as "Scott Baio is 45... And Single" and "Celebrity Fit Club." Moran was 56. Carlo Allegri/Getty Images

Celebrities who have died

April 20, 2017: Cuba Gooding Sr., lead singer of vocal group the Main Ingredient, was found dead on Thursday in Los Angeles. Gooding, 72, was frontman for the R&B group from 1971-1977. During that period, the group scored with the million-selling "Everybody Plays the Fool" (1972) and "Just Don't Want to Be Lonely," which reached the Top 10 in 1974. Gooding, 72, had four children, including actors Omar Gooding and Cuba Gooding Jr. According to the Associated Press, the cause of death is under investigation, but drug paraphernalia and alcohol were found in the parked car. Michael Loccisano/Getty Images

Celebrities who have died

April 12, 2017: Comedian Charlie Murphy, older brother of Eddie Murphy and a star on "Chappelle's Show," has died, according to the Hollywood Reporter. "We just lost one of the funniest most real brothers of all time," Chris Rock posted on Twitter. Murphy's publicist told the Hollywood Reporter that Murphy died from leukemia. He was 57. Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images

Celebrities who have died

April 11, 2017: Dorothy Mengering, who charmed viewers appearing with her son, David Letterman, on his late-night TV program, has died. A former church secretary, she would deliver Top 10 lists from her Indiana kitchen and challenge the host to guess what pies she had baked for Thanksgiving. She donated more than $100,000 from sales of a 1996 cookbook, "Home Cookin' with Dave's Mom," to a Kiwanis International campaign to wipe out iodine deficiency disorders in developing countries. Mengering, who died in Carmel, Ind., was 90. Kurt Hostetler/Associated Press

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April 11, 2017: John Warren Geils Jr., better known as musician J. Geils, has died at age 71. Geils was a vocalist and guitarist for The J. Geils Band, which he formed in Worcester, Mass., in 1967. The group, which featured lead singer Peter Wolf, achieved popularity throughout the '70s with Top 40 hits like "Must Have Got Lost" and "One Last Kiss." The group had explosive success in 1981 when the album "Freeze-Frame" spent a month at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 and sold more than 3 million copies, powered by the title track (No. 4) and "Centerfold" (No. 1), both which received massive MTV airplay. The group disbanded in 1985 but reunited in 1999. Geils was found dead in his Groton, Mass., home; police issued that a preliminary investigation "indicates that Geils died of natural causes." Faith Ninivaggi/Associated Press

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April 7, 2017: Tim Pigott-Smith, an acclaimed British actor who starred on Broadway and in the TV series "The Jewel in the Crown," has died. Pigott-Smith was already a veteran of stage and screen when he came to international attention as a sadistic police officer in British-controlled India in the 1980s miniseries "The Jewel in the Crown." On the big screen, he could be seen in "V for Vendetta," ''Gangs Of New York" and the James Bond thriller "Quantum Of Solace." For his stage work, he received both Olivier and Tony nominations for playing the title role in "King Charles III" in 2014-2016. He was named an Officer of the Order of the British Empire last month, which put him on the path to knighthood. Pigott-Smith was 70 Jemal Countess/Getty Images

Celebrities who have died

April 6, 2017: Don Rickles, the beloved insult comedian, has died at age 90, according to his spokesman. The comic, affectionately known as "Mr. Warmth," was a Las Vegas mainstay since the '60s and an influence on numerous comedians. A younger generation came to know him through his work as the voice of Mr. Potato Head in the "Toy Story" franchise. Rickles died of kidney failure at his Los Angeles home, TMZ reports. Special for The Republic

Celebrities who have died

April 5, 2017: Paul O'Neill, who founded rock band Trans-Siberian Orchestra, was found dead on April 5, 2017, in a Florida hotel room. Tampa police said no foul play was suspected; the band issued a statement saying O'Neill died as a result of a "chronic illness." Founded in 1996, the group is known for arena-rock versions of holiday songs; the band's annual Christmas tours feature lasers, fog machines and impressive lighting effects. Jim Cooper/Associated Press

March 23, 2017: Lola Albright, a sultry blonde bombshell

Celebrities who have died

March 23, 2017: Lola Albright, a sultry blonde who gained pop-culture fame playing the girlfriend of TV private eye Peter Gunn, has died. Born and raised in Ohio, Albright moved to Hollywood, Calif., in her 20s. She first gained major attention starring opposite Kirk Douglas in 1949's "Champion." She moved on to films like 1950's "When You're Smiling" (opposite Frankie Laine) and 1955's "The Tender Trap" (with Frank Sinatra). Her greatest success came as nightclub singer Edie Hart, girlfriend to the title character in NBC's "Peter Gunn." Starring with Craig Stevens, the 1958-1961 show put her on the cover of TV Guide and earned her an Emmy nomination. At the height of her fame, she recorded "Dreamsville" (1959) an album of songs she performed on the TV show that was produced by Henry Mancini. She continued to work through the 1980s, appearing on such shows as "The Incredible Hulk," "Starsky and Hutch," "Medical Center" and "Peyton Place." Albright, who was 92, died n Toluca Lake, Calif., according to the Akron (Ohio) Beacon Journal. Columbia Pictures

Celebrities who have died

March 22, 2017: Sib Hashian, a former drummer for the band Boston, has died. Although he is the group's second drummer (he replaced Jim Masdea), he is heard on the group's first two albums. He departed the group in 1983, replaced by Masdea. Hashian was performing on a Legends of Rock Cruise ship when he collapsed, according to the New York Daily News. He was 67. Ron Pownall/Epic

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March 21, 2017: Chuck Barris, who became a star as the zany host of the '70s favorite "The Gong Show," has died at age 87. In addition to creating and emceeing the 1976-1980 program, he created "The Dating Game" and "The Newlywed Game." The success of those shows made him a millionaire and earned him the nickname "The Baron of Bad Taste." Barris later wrote an autobiography, "Confessions of a Dangerous Mind," in which he claimed to be a CIA assassin. The CIA called the book "absurd," but it was turned into a 2002 film directed by George Clooney. Bebeto Matthews/Associated Press

Celebrities who have died

March 19, 2017: Pulitzer Prize-winning columnist JImmy Breslin has died at age 88. Considered one of the founding fathers of new journalism, the New York columnist's evocative style — writing about everyone from the man who dug President John F. Kennedy's grave to Malcolm X to Son of Sam— was designed to draw readers into his stories and provoke a reaction. He wrote several books; at the height of his fame, in the 1970s, he even pitched Piels Beer in a TV commercial. Still, "his was the triumph of the local," writer Pete Hamill told the Associated Press. "To get the local right, you have to get how people made a living, how they got paid, how they didn't get paid, and to be able to bring it to life." Special for The Republic

Rock legend Chuck Berry has died at age 90.

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March 18, 2017: Chuck Berry, one of the architects of rock and roll, has died at age 90. The man behind such classics as "Roll Over Beethoven" and "Johnny B. Goode" influenced countless artists, ranging from the Beatles to Emmylou Harris. Walter Bieri, EPA

Celebrities who have died

March 13, 2017: Tommy LiPuma, a five-time Grammy winner who produced albums by the likes of Barbra Streisand, Everything but the Girl, Willie Nelson, Miles Davis and Diana Krall, has died. Originally a sax player, LiPuma moved into promotions for Liberty Records in the '60s, working with artists like Vikki Carr and the Ventures. He later worked at A&M Records as a producer, where he oversaw records by Chris Montez and Claudine Longet. He formed the Blue Thumb label in 1968, then proceeded to work for virtually every major record label. Among his best-known works as a producer: Streisand's "The Way We Were" album (1974); Benson's "This Masquerade," the 1976 Record of the Year at the Grammys; and Natalie Cole's "Unforgettable ... with Love," which was named Album of the Year at the Grammys while the single "Unforgettable" earned Record of the Year. LiPuma never slowed; he co-produced Krall's upcoming "Turn Up the Quiet," due May 5. Billboard reports that he died after a brief illness; he was 80. Stephen Lovekin/Getty Images

Celebrities who have died

March 10, 2017: Joni Sledge, a member of the famed disco family act Sister Sledge, died Friday at her home in the metro Phoenix area. Along with siblings Kathy, Debbie and Kim, the group recorded such popular '70s tracks as "He's the Greatest Dancer," "All American Girls" and 1979's million-selling anthem "We Are Family," which became their signature tune. The group's last major hit was 1985's "Frankie," which reached No. 1 in England (it only climbed to No. 32 on the U.S. R&B charts). Sledge, who moved to the Valley in the '90s, was 60. Suzanne Starr/The Republic

Celebrities who have died

March 10, 2017: Robert James Waller, the Texas author whose "The Bridges of Madison County" became a blockbuster success despite critical derision, has died. The 1992 romance novel, which Waller reportedly wrote in 11 days, spent more than three years on the New York Times bestseller list. It inspired a hit 1995 movie that starred Meryl Streep and Clint Eastwood (he also directed); in 2014, a musical version of the story opened on Broadway. Waller's other books include "Slow Waltz in Cedar Bend," "Border Music" and "Puerto Vallarta Squeeze." Waller, who was 77, had been battling cancer. H. Darr Beiser/USA Today

Celebrities who have died

March 6, 2017: Robert Osborne, a former Hollywood Reporter columnist who became the primary host of Turner Classic Movies for more than 20 years, has died. Osborne's first book, "Academy Awards Illustrated," was published in 1965. He joined the staff of the Hollywood Reporter in 1977 and became an on-air reporter for KTTV in Los Angeles in 1982. He joined TCM in 1994; he presented the first film to air on the network, "Gone with the Wind." In 2006, he received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. He was 84. Neilson Barnard/Getty Images

Celebrities who have died

March 3, 2017: Tommy Page, a singer-songwriter who topped the Billboard Hot 100 in 1990 with the self-penned ballad "I'll Be Your Everything," has died at age 46. At the peak of his career, Page was a teen idol who toured with New Kids on the Block and guest-starred on such series as "Full House" and "The Arsenio Hall Show." Page later worked as an executive at Warner Bros. Records, then spent two years as the publisher of music-industry publication Billboard. The cause of death was an apparent suicide, according to Billboard. Sire Recording Co.

Celebrities who have died

March 3, 2017: Miriam Colon, an influential character actress who appeared in films alongside Marlon Brando and Chris Cooper, has died. Colon, who was born in Ponce, Puerto Rico, starred in more than 250 TV episodes and more than 90 films in a screen career than began in 1951. Her best-known films include "One-Eyed Jacks" (1961) with Brando, "Lone Star" (1996) with Cooper and 1983's "Scarface," in which she played the the mother of Tony Montana (Al Pacino). In 1967, she founded the Puerto Rican Traveling Theater in New York, where she helped cultivate young Latino actors and writers and staged work that would later be read in Latino Studies classes across the Americas. In 2015, President Barack Obama presented the National Medal of Arts to Colon for her work as an actress and theater founder. Manuel Balce Ceneta/Associated Press

Celebrities who have died

Feb. 25, 2017: Neil Fingleton, a 7-foot 7-inch British actor who played the giant Mag the Mighty in "Game of Thrones," has died. Born in 1980, Fingleton was recognized by Guinness World Records in 2007 as the U.K.'s tallest man. His height made him a basketball natural, and Fingleton played college basketball in the United States for the University of North Carolina and the College of the Holy Cross in Worcester, Mass. He went on to a short professional basketball career in the United States and Europe before turning to acting. He was 36. Geoff Caddick/Associated Press

Celebrities who have died

Feb. 26, 2017: Judge Joseph Wapner, who rose to fame as the original host of "The People's Court," has died at age 97. Wapner presided over the program from 1981 to 1993. He became a popular media personality, writing a 1987 memoir, "A View From the Bench." He was awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2009. David Wapner said his father died Sunday at home in his sleep, according to the Associated Press. Damian Dovarganes/Associated Press

Celebrities who have died

Feb. 25, 2017: Bill Paxton, a journeyman actor who appeared in such films as "Twister," "Titanic," "Apollo 13" and "Aliens," has died following complications from surgery. Born in 1955, the Texas-born actor was a favorite of James Cameron, appearing in the director's "Aliens" and "True Lies" in addition to playing the salvage-team captain in "Titanic." He earned three Golden Globe nominations playing a bigamist in the HBO series "Big Love." He also nabbed a 2012 Emmy nomination for his work on the miniseries "Hatfields & McCoys." Paxton was 61. Alberto E. Rodriguez, Getty Images

Celebrities who have died

Feb. 23, 2017: Leon Ware, an influential songwriter and producer who worked with such artists as Marvin Gaye, Michael Jackson, Teena Marie, Ike and Tina Turner, Quincy Jones and Melissa Manchester in a long career, has died. Ware, who was born in Detroit, co-produced and co-wrote Gaye's classic 1976 disc "I Want You," which produced the title song, a No. 1 R&B hit. He also wrote such songs as Jackson's "I Wanna Be Where You Are," Lulu's "Independence" and Maxwell's "Sumthin' Sumthin'." His "If I Ever Lose This Heaven" was recorded by the likes of the Average White Band, Nancy Wilson, Sergio Mendes and Quincy Jones, who cut a version with Al Jarreau, Minnie Riperton and Ware on vocals. Other production work includes Manchester's "Don't Cry Out Loud" album and Syreeta's "One to One." In later years, Ware's worked was sampled by such artists as Jay-Z, a Tribe Called Quest and Ice Cube. Ware was 77, according to Billboard. Earl Gibson III/Getty Images

Celebrities who have died

Feb. 23, 2017: Alan Colmes, the liberal foil to Sean Hannity on "Hannity & Colmes," has died at age 66. Colmes, a New York City native and Hofstra University graduate, worked in radio and as a comedian before joining the Fox network in 1996. "Hannity & Colmes," which ran from 1996 to 2009, used the back-and-forth banter between the commentators to power the program, which became the second-highest series on a cable-news network for a time. According to a statement from his family, Holmes died after "a brief illness." Mary Altaffer/Associated Press

Celebrities who have died

Feb. 18, 2017: Clyde Stubblefield, a drummer who provided the beat for such James Brown classics as "Cold Sweat," "Mother Popcorn" and "I've Got the Feelin'," has died. His solo on Brown's 1970 single "Funky Drummer" has been been sampled on more than 1,000 songs, according to Rolling Stone. In 2014, he was named the second best drummer of all time by LA Weekly magazine. Stubblefield, 73, died from kidney failure. John Hart/Associated Press

Celebrities who have died

Feb. 16, 2017: George "The Animal" Steele, a WWE Hall of Famer, has died. Born William James Myers, the athlete had a master's degree from Central Michigan University and worked as a teacher and coach before becoming a WWE villain. He made his wrestling debut in 1967 and retired in 1988 after being diagnosed with Crohn's disease. He was 79. Special for The Republic

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Feb. 17, 2017: Nicole Bass, a bodybuilder known for frequent appearances on Howard Stern's radio program, has died, according to a post on her Facebook page. Bass became a favorite guest of Stern, who would discuss her physical size and deep voice. She was signed by the then-WWF and debuted with the organization in 1999 for a short-lived run; she later accused the organization of sexual harassment, but the case was dismissed. Bass was 52. Robert Spencer/Associated Press

Celebrities who have died

Feb. 17, 2017: Peter Skellern, a British singer-songwriter whose song "You're a Lady" became something of a contemporary standard, has died at age 69. Skellern, who was born in Bury, Greater Manchester, released his first album, "You're a Lady" in 1972. The title song, a whispery, old-fashioned ballad, reached No. 3 in England and No. 50 in the United States, though it rose to No. 11 on the U.S. adult contemporary chart in Billboard. Soon there were several cover versions, including recordings by Tony Orlando & Dawn, Jack Jones, Johnny Mathis, Brigitte Bardot and Lou Rawls, among others. Skellern continued to have success in his native country, with discs like 1979's "Astaire" and 1982's "A String of Pearls," both collections of standards, hitting the British charts. He also wrote the lyrics to "One More Kiss, Dear," which was featured in 1982's "Blade Runner." He was a popular concert and cabaret performer, often appearing with friend and fellow songwriter Richard Stilgoe ("Starlight Express," "The Phantom of the Opera"). According to the BBC, Skellern announced that he was diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumor last year; later, in October, he was ordained as a priest and a deacon in the Church of England on the same day. Skellern is survived by his wife, Diana, and two children. Decca Records

Feb. 2, 2017: Al Jarreau, a jazz singer who crossed

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Feb. 12, 2017: Al Jarreau, a jazz singer who crossed over to the pop charts and found mainstream success, has died. In 1975, Reprise Records issued his first album, "We Got By," which garnered critical acclaim, but it was 1981's "Breakin' Away" that turned the smooth vocalist into a major player. The platinum-selling disc featured such radio hits as "We're in Love This Together" and "Roof Garden," and reached the Top 10 on the pop charts and No. 1 on the jazz and R&B listings in Billboard. Jarreau became a regular presence on the talk-show circuit, and he also appeared on programs such as "Sheena Easton: Act One" and "Saturday Night Live." Subsequent hits included "Mornin'," The Music of Goodbye" (a duet with Melissa Manchester) and the theme song from TV's "Moonlighting." Jarreau was awarded seven Grammys in his career; his most recent win came in 2007 for a collaboration with Jill Scott and George Benson on "God Bless the Child." Jarreau was 76. Rachel Murray/Getty Images

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Feb. 6, 2017: Alec McCowen, a Tony-nominated stage star with an international career, has died at age 91. The British actor made his West End debut in 1950, appearing in Anton Chekhov's "Ivanov." His Broadway debut came the following year, playing a small role in a production of "Caesar and Cleopatra" that featured Laurence Olivier and Vivien Leigh. The versatile McCowen would go to earn three Tony Award nominations for best actor: 1969's "Hadrian VII," 1971's "The Philanthropist" and 1979's "St. Mark's Gospel." The latter, a one-man show in which McCowen played characters such as Pontius Pilate and Jesus, became closely identified with the actor, and he even performed the show at the White House. In 1990, he revived the show in an off-Broadway production. Other notable credits include the original London production of "Equus" and "Someone Who'll Watch Over Me," his last Broadway appearance, in 1992-1993. The actor also found success on film, starring in "The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner" (1962), Alfred Hitchcock's "Frenzy" (1972)," the Harrison Ford drama "Hanover Street" (1979) and Martin Scorsese's 2002's "Gangs of New York." McCowen died at his London home. Bebeto Matthews/Associated Press

Celebrities who have died

Feb. 7, 2017: Richard Hatch, a TV actor who became a heartthrob in the '70s thanks to "Battlestar Galactica," has died. After appearing on "All My Children" in the early '70s, the actor became a fixture on TV, appearing on "Hawaii Five-O" and "The Rookies." He replaced Michael Douglas in the final season of "The Streets of San Francisco" (1976-1977), but found his greatest fame playing dashing Captain Apollo in "Battlestar Galactica." The show, which premiered in 1978 and initially lasted one season, made him a favorite in teen magazines. The actor, 71, died after a battle with pancreatic cancer. Mark Davis/Getty Images

Celebrities who have died

Feb. 6, 2017: Irwin Corey, a bushy-haired comic and actor known as "Professor" Irwin Corey to audiences, has died at age 102. Famed for his comedic double talk full of non sequiturs, Corey made his Broadway debut in 1943. He became a favorite of nightclub and TV audiences. He later had a successful film career, appearing in such disparate vehicles as "How to Commit Marriage" (1969), 1976's "Car Wash" and Woody Allen's "The Curse of the Jade Scorpion" in 2001. Corey remained active in the 2000s, appearing on Broadway in a 2004 revival of "Sly Fox" (pictured). Corey died at his Manhattan home, according to the Washington Post. Jim Cooper/Associated Press

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Feb. 5, 2017: Sonny Geraci, a vocalist who scored two major hits with different bands, has died. Born in Cleveland, Geraci was lead singer for the Outsiders, which reached No. 5 on the Billboard Hot 100 with the rousing 1966 single "Time Won't Let Me." The group splintered apart, and Geraci formed Climax, which reached No. 3 in 1972 with the ballad "Precious and Few." The tune, a slow-dance favorite featuring Geraci's yearning vocal, went on to sell more than a million copies, earning gold certification from the Recording Industry Association of America. Geraci later toured on the nostalgia circuit, but his career was halted in 2012 after he suffered a brain aneurysm, according to Fox 8 (WJW) in Cleveland. Geraci was 69. Special for The Republic

Celebrities who have died

Jan. 31, 2017: Frank Pellegrino, an actor who appeared on "The Sopranos," has died. Pellegrino played FBI New Jersey bureau chief Frank Cubitoso in the long-running mob series, appearing in 11 episodes. Other TV work includes "New York Undercover" and "Swift Justice." On the big screen, he appeared in "Goodfellas," "Angie" and "Mickey Blue Eyes." In addition to his acting career, Pellegrino was a restaurateur who co-owned Rao's in East Harlem, N.Y., an exclusive old-school Italian eatery. Pellegrino, 72, was suffering from lung cancer, USA Today reports. Andrew H. Walker/Getty Images

Celebrities who have died

Jan. 31, 2017: Musician John Wetton, who founded the '80s supergroup Asia and was a member of King Crimson, has died. The British bassist and singer also appeared on discs by Bryan Ferry, Uriah Heep and Brian Eno. Wetton, who was 67, died from colon cancer, according to his publicity firm. Ben A. Pruchnie/Getty Images

Celebrities who have died

July 27, 2017: Emmanuelle Riva, a French star of screen and stage who was nominated for an Academy Award for best actress in 2013, has died. Her 60-year career was highlighted by such films as "Hiroshima Mon Amour" (1959),"Léon Morin, Priest" (1961) and "Therese," for which she was named best actress at the 1962 Venice Film Festival. Riva was Oscar-nominated for her role in "Amour, " Michael Haneke's brutal depiction of an aging couple. The actress, who was 89, died in a Paris clinic after a long illness. Tiziana Fabi/I, AFP/Getty Images

Celebrities who have died

Jan. 27, 2017: Oscar-nominated actor John Hurt, one of the screen's most gifted performers, has died at age 77. Hurt earned Oscar nominations for "Midnight Express" (1978) and 1980's "The Elephant Man," in which he played disfigured John Merrick. The latter performance became his signature role, though he lost out on the Oscar to Robert De Niro in "Raging Bull." Hurt's other films include "Alien," "Spaceballs," last year's "Jackie" and the "Harry Potter" franchise. The actor was knighted in 2015 by Queen Elizabeth II. Hurt died of cancer in London, according to the Associated Press. Gareth Cattermole/Getty Images

Celebrities who have died

Jan. 26, 2017: Barbara Hale, a film actress who found TV fame as Perry Mason's loyal secretary, has died. Hale appeared in the iconic mystery series from 1957 to 1966, winning an Emmy as best actress in 1959. When the show was revived in 1985 on NBC as an occasional TV movie, she again appeared in court as Della Street, always at the side of the ever-victorious lawyer played by Raymond Burr. Hale was married to actor Bill Williams, whom she met in 1945 while making the film "West of the Pecos." The couple, who was married until Williams' death in 1992, had three children, including actor William Katt. Hale, who was 94, died at her Los Angeles home. Special for The Republic

Celebrities who have died

Jan. 26, 2017: Mike Connors, a handsome actor who played the tough-talking title character on the long-running detective series "Mannix," has died. The series, a ratings winner for CBS, “Mannix” ran for eight seasons from 1967 to 1975. Born Kreker J. Ohanian in Fresno, Calif., his film career started in the '50s, billed as "Touch" Connors. His long resume includes films like "Panic Button" (1964), "The Ten Commandments" (1956) and 1980's "Nightkill" (which was filmed in Arizona). Still, private eye Joe Mannix was the role forever identified with the star, and he also appeared as the character in "Here's Lucy" and "Diagnosis: Murder." Connors, 91, was diagnosed a week ago with leukemia, according to Variety. Associated Press

Celebrities who have died

Jan. 25, 2017: Mary Tyler Moore, who starred in two iconic TV sitcoms, has died at age 80. The actress, who was born in Brooklyn, N.Y., first captured the public's heart as suburban housewife Laura Petrie on "The Dick Van Dyke Show" (1961-1966), winning two Emmy Awards. She made an even stronger impression as Mary Richards, the optimistic producer of a TV-news show, on "Mary Tyler Moore," which ran from 1970-1977. The beloved sitcom became one of the most honored shows in Emmy history, winning 29 awards, including three for Moore's performance. She later earned an Oscar nomination for her work in "Ordinary People" (1980) and gained a Tony Award for her role on Broadway as a quadriplegic in "Whose Life Is It Anyway?" Moore is survived by her third husband, Robert Levine. Associated Press

Celebrities who have died

Jan. 24, 2017: Butch Trucks, a founding member of the Allman Brothers Band, has died. Along with Jai "Jaimoe" Johanny Johanson, Trucks was one of the group's two original drummers upon its founding in 1969. The band helped define the southern rock sound through such influential discs as "At the Fillmore East" (1971) and "Brothers and Sisters" (1973). After the group's final breakup in 2014, Trucks formed his own band, Butch Trucks and the Freight Train Band. According to Rolling Stone, Trucks performed his last concert on Jan. 6, 2017. Trucks, who died in West Palm Beach, Fla., was 69. Chris Pizzello/Associated Press

Celebrities who have died

Jan. 23, 2017: Bimba Bosé, a model, singer, actress and TV personality, has died after a two-year fight with breast cancer. Born in Italy as Eleonora Salvatore González, Bosé became known as the face of Tom Ford’s Gucci and Versus Versace campaigns in the 2000s. In 2007, she debuted as a singer, recording the single "Como Un Lobo" with her uncle, Spanish singer Miguel Bosé. The two performed the song on that year's Latin Grammy ceremony in Las Vegas. The following year, she formed the Cabriolets, which recorded three albums and one EP, according to Billboard. Bosé's death was met with an outpouring on social media from such stars as Laura Pausini, Alejandro Sanz and her uncle, who posted on Twitter: "Have a good trip Bimba, my accomplice, my partner, my love, my dear daughter." She was 41. Juan Naharro Gimenez/Getty Images

Celebrities who have died

Jan. 21, 2017: Maggie Roche, a member of a musical family group that featured her two sisters, has died at age 65. Along with sisters Terre and Suzzy, the Roches recorded several albums, both as a trio and in various combinations of duos. Maggie and Terre sang background on Paul Simon's 1973 "There Goes Rhymin' Simon," which led to a 1975 debut album by the two siblings, "Seductive Reasoning." As a trio, they signed with Warner Bros. in 1979, releasing several discs that showcased Maggie's songwriting and their tight familial harmonies. Roche died of cancer, according to the Associated Press. Special for The Republic

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Jan. 18, 2017: Roberta Peters, a coloratura soprano who achieved mainstream popularity in a long career, has died. Born in the Bronx, N.Y., Peters performed at the Metropolitan Opera 515 times over a 35-year period, according to the New York Times. Her career was launched in 1950 when she played Zerlina in Mozart’s “Don Giovanni” at the Met, a part for which she was a last-minute substitute. A photogenic, personable performer, Peters was a frequent guest on such TV programs as "The Mike Douglas Show," "Perry Como's Kraft Music Hall," "The Ed Sullivan Show," "The Jack Benny Program" and "The Hollywood Squares." She also ventured into acting, appearing in a 1975 episode of "Medical Center" and the 1996 Al Pacino film "City Hall." She was awarded a National Medal of Arts in 1998. Peters, who was 86, died of Parkinson's disease. Jeff Geissler/Associated Press

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Jan. 19, 2017: Miguel Ferrer, a member of a Hollywood dynasty and an acclaimed actor in his own right, has died. Ferrer, the son of Oscar winner Jose Ferrer and singer Rosemary Clooney, began acting in the early '80s. He has a long string of big-screen credits, including "RoboCop" (1987), "Iron Man 3" (2013) and "Revenge" (1990). He was a busy character actor on TV, with regular roles on "Crossing Jordan," "Twin Peaks," "NCIS: Los Angeles," "LateLine" and "Shannon's Deal." Blessed with a distinctive speaking voice, he did voice work for such films as "Mulan," "Rio 2" and "Beverly Hills Chihuahua 2." His last IMDB credit is the upcoming reboot of "Twin Peaks." Ferrer, who was 61, died of cancer, according to the Hollywood Reporter. Survivors include a wife and two sons; his extended family includes sister-in-law Debby Boone and George Clooney, a first cousin. Valery Hache/AFP/Getty Images

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Jan. 13, 2017: Dick Gautier, a comic actor who starred on Broadway and was a constant presence on game shows in the 70s, has died. In 1960, Gautier played Conrad Birdie in the original Broadway production of "Bye Bye Birdie," earning a Tony nomination. He soon began landing TV roles, appearing on "Bewitched," "Gidget" and "The Patty Duke Show." He was a regular on the sitcom "Mr. Terrific" and appeared in six episodes of "Get Smart," playing Hymie, a handsome robot. In the '70s and early '80s, he was hard to miss on daytime-TV game shows, appearing on "Password," Match Game," Tattletales" and "The Hollywood Squares." Gautier, who was 85, died at an assisted living facility in Los Angeles County. Valerie Macon/Getty Images

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Jan. 12, 2017: William Peter Blatty, an author whose book "The Exorcist" became a phenomenon, has died. Blatty's book about demonic possession was published in 1971, followed two years later by a film version, for which he wrote the screenplay. He earned an Oscar for the script, one of two Academy Awards the film earned. He never experienced another success on that scale, but he continued to write. He branched into directing with the 1990 film "The Exorcist III," for which he adapted his 1983 book "Legion." Blatty was 89. H. Darr Beiser/USA Today

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Jan. 10, 2017: Buddy Greco, a talented jazz vocalist and pianist who gained great popularity in the nightclub scene of the '50s and '60s, has died in Las Vegas. Greco, who was born in Philadelphia, got his start at age 16 performing with the Benny Goodman Orchestra. He later signed with Epic Records, where he released such acclaimed discs as "Songs for Swinging Losers" (1961), "Buddy & Soul" (1962) and "My Last Night in Rome" (1964). In 1967, he hosted the CBS variety series "Away We Go," which also featured George Carlin and Buddy Rich. Greco's style — cocky, confident and hard-swinging —combined with his handsome looks made him a favorite of audiences in Las Vegas, where he remained a headliner for decades. He died at age 90, according to KNPR-FM (88.9) in Las Vegas. Wade Byars

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Jan. 7, 2017: Nat Hentoff, a jazz critic, author, political commentator and journalist, has died. Hentoff wrote for the Village Voice for five decades, and contributed articles to the New Yorker and Down Beat magazine. His books range from memoirs and social commentary to such young-adult favorites as "I'm Really Dragged But Nothing Gets Me Down." Hentoff died at his New York home, the New York Times reports. He was 91. United Media

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Jan. 6, 2017: Om Puri, a versatile actor who appeared in Hollywood, Bollywood and British films, has died. The star was probably best known to American audiences for playing a warm-hearted patriarch in 2014's "The Hundred-Foot Journey" opposite Helen Mirren. Puri studied acting at the leading Film and Television Institute of India and the National School of Drama. He was made an honorary officer of the Order of the British Empire for his contribution to British cinema in 2004. His breakthrough film was the 1983 gritty drama "Ardh Satya," or "Half Truth," about a young policeman's crisis of conscience as he deals with the nexus of crime and politics in India. Puri, who suffered a heart attack, was 66. Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images for Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures

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Dec. 31, 2016: William Christopher, who played kindly Father Mulcahy on the CBS sitcom “M*A*S*H,” has died. Christopher played the role for the show's 1972-1983 run, though actor George Morgan played the role in the pilot episode. Following the program's demise, Christopher starred in "After Mash" and, in 2012, "Days of Our Lives." Christopher died at his home in Pasadena, Calif., according to trade publication Variety. He was 84. CBS

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Dec. 28, 2016: Pierre Barouh, a songwriter, singer and actor, has died, according to the L’Agence France-Presse news agency. Along with Francis Lai, Barouh wrote the the title song to the classic 1966 film "A Man and a Woman," in which he also appeared. The song earned a Golden Globe nomination and emerged as a standard, recorded by Engelbert Humperdinck, Johnny Mathis, Matt Monro and Ella Fitzgerald, among others. Barouh continued to act and record, releasing albums into the 21st century. He was 82. Yoshikazu Tsuno/AFP/Getty Images

Celebrities who have died

Dec. 28, 2016: Debbie Reynolds, an actress and singer from Hollywood's golden age, has died. Her death comes one day after the death of her daughter, Carrie Fisher. Reynolds' long career is highlighted by such films as the 1952 classic "Singin' in the Rain," as well as "The Unsinkable Molly Brown" (1964) and "The Catered Affair" (1956). She starred in the 1957 film "Tammy and the Bachelor" and performed the title song, simply called "Tammy." Her recording would spend five weeks at No. 1, making it one of the biggest hits of the era. Reynolds' career later expanded to include theater, nightclubs and concert appearances. Survivors include her son, Todd Fisher; and granddaughter Billie Lourd, whose mother was Carrie Fisher. Kathy Willens/Associated Press

Dec. 24, 2016: Richard Adams, whose 1972 children's

Celebrities who have died

Dec. 24, 2016: Richard Adams, whose 1972 novel "Watership Down" inspired both an animated film and TV series, has died at age 96. The British author wrote several other books, including "The Plague Dogs" and "Tales from Watership Down," a 1996 follow-up to his best-known book. His daughter, Juliet Johnson, told the Associated Press on Tuesday that Adams died in Oxfordshire, England. Associated Press

Celebrities who have died

Dec. 27, 2016: Carrie Fisher, the princess of Hollywood who became a young star playing a princess in "Star Wars," has died following a heart attack suffered on a flight from London to Los Angeles, according to reports from TMZ and People. She was 60. Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images

Celebrities who have died

Dec. 26, 2016: Ricky Harris, a comedian and actor known for multiple appearances on the sitcoms "Everybody Hates Chris" and "Moesha," has died. Snoop Dogg posted a video on Instagram about the death of Harris saying the actor was "my big brother, my homeboy" and a "Long Beach original." Harris was 54. Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images

Celebrities who have died

Dec. 25, 2016: Singer George Michael died over the Christmas holiday, according to a statement issued by his publicist on Sunday. The British singer-songwriter, who first became part of the pop-culture landscape as half of the '80s duo Wham!, was 53. "He was ever a gentle, unassuming soul," singer-songwriter Alison Moyet said on Twitter. "A rare presence in a world full of self. Honest, genuine talent.’’ Michael Chow/The Republic

Celebrities who have died

Dec. 24, 2016: Rick Parfitt, guitarist for influential British rock band Status Quo, has died. Though regarded as a one-hit-wonder act in the United States — 1968's "Pictures of Matchstick Men" reached No. 12 on these shores, their only Top 40 hit — the group has been a force on the British music scene since the '60s. The group has charted more than 60 singles in the U.K. charts; this year, the album "Aquostic II: That’s a Fact!" reached No. 7 on the British album chart. In September, Parfitt announced that he would no longer tour with the band due to health reasons. He died from septicemia in Marbella, Spain, where he lived for part of the year. He was 68. Tim P. Whitby/Getty Images

Celebrities who have died

Dec. 19, 2016: Michele Morgan, a French actress who found success in both French and English-language films, has died. Morgan received Cannes' first best actress award for her performance in "Pastoral Symphony" in 1946. Other films included 1948's "The Fallen Idol" (with Ralph Richardson) and 1938's "Port of Shadows." In a statement announcing her death, French President Francois Hollande said that she was "a legend who marked numerous generations," according to the Associated Press. She was 96. Patrick Hertzog/AFP/Getty Images

Celebrities who have died

Dec. 15, 2016: Fran Jeffries, a singer and actress who was a familiar presence on the variety-show circuit of the '60s, has died. Jeffries appeared in such films as "The Pink Panther" (1963), "Sex and the Single Girl" (1964) and the 1965 Elvis Presley vehicle "Harum Scarum." She often sang in her film roles; in "The Pink Panther," she introduced the Henry Mancini song "It Had Better Be Tonight." She was married five times, including a 1958-1965 union with singer Dick Haymes, with whom she often performed. She recorded several albums; 2000's "All the Love" was her most recent release. Jeffries died at her home in Los Angeles, the New York Times reports. She was 79. Amanda Edwards/Getty Images

Celebrities who have died

Dec. 19, 2016: Actor Dick Latessa, who won a Tony Award in 2003 for playing the father of Tracy Turnblad in the original Broadway production of "Hairspray," has died. The veteran stage actor made his Broadway debut in 1968, appearing in "The Education of H*Y*M*A*N K*A*P*L*A*N." He would continue to tread the boards in New York for the next several decades, becoming a favorite of Broadway audiences. The actor had an affinity for the works of Neil Simon, starring in the playwright's "Chapter Two," "Brighton Beach Memoirs," "I Ought to Be in Pictures," "Broadway Bound" and the 2010 revival of "Promises, Promises." His final Broadway appearance came in 2012, when he starred in "The Lyons" opposite Linda Lavin. On TV, he appeared in such programs as "The Black Donnellys," "Law & Order" and "The Sopranos." Latessa was 87, according to the Hollywood Reporter. Jemal Countess/Getty Images

Celebrities who have died

Dec. 18, 2016: Gordie Tapp, a comic actor who starred in 90 episodes of the variety program "Hee Haw" between 1969 and 1988, has died. Tapp also wrote for the long-running show, in which he created such characters as Cousin Clem, Samuel B. Sternwheeler and cuckolded husband Lavern Nagger. The Canadian-born Tapp died in Ontario, according to the Hollywood Reporter. He was 94. Special for The Republic

Celebrities who have died

Dec. 18, 2016: Zsa Zsa Gabor, actress, socialite, jet-setter and larger-than-life personality, has died at age 99 at her home in Bel Air, Calif. The Hungarian star was the middle sister of the Gabor siblings: Eva (star of "Green Acres") was younger and Magda, also an actress, was older. Better known for her multiple marriages — she reportedly wed nine times — than her film or TV career, Gabor's spouses included movie star George Sanders and hotelier Conrad Hilton, who fathered her only child, Francesca, who died in 2015. Gabor died of a heart attack, according to her husband, Prince Frederic von Anhalt. Associated Press

Celebrities who have died

Dec. 15, 2016: Craig Sager, NBA sideline reporter for Turner Sports, has died, the network announced. Sager, 65, battled a rare form of cancer for more than two years, undergoing multiple rounds of chemotherapy and other treatments. He worked 26 seasons as a sideline reporter for Turner Sports’ NBA broadcasts on TNT. Kirby Lee/USA Today Sports

Celebrities who have died

Dec. 14, 2016: Bernard Fox, a mustachioed character actor who played the mischievous Dr. Bombay on TV's "Bewitched," has died. The British actor starred as the warlock physician who was summoned by Samantha Stephens with the memorable cry: "Calling Dr. Bombay, calling Dr. Bombay. Emergency! Come right away!" His extensive credits also include "Hogan's Heroes," ''The Dyke Van Dyke Show" and ''Murder, She Wrote" on the small screen, while his movie work includes "Titanic," "The Mummy" and "The Rescuers." Fox, who was 89, died of heart failure at a Los Angeles-area hospital, the Associated Press reports. ABC

Celebrities who have died

Dec. 13, 2016: Alan Thicke, who achieved his greatest fame playing a sensible dad on the long-running ABC sitcom "Growing Pains," has died after suffering a heart attack. Thicke, who was 69, played Dr. Jason Seaver during the show's entire 1985-1992 run, as well as returning for TV-movie reunions in 2000 and 2004. Born in Canada, the performer first gained U.S. fame as the host of the syndicated talk show "Thicke of the Night," which ran for one season beginning in 1983. A singer and songwriter, he wrote the theme songs for such programs as "Diff'rent Strokes" (he also sang the tune) and "The Facts of Life," which was performed and co-written by his then-wife, singer and actress Gloria Loring. After "Growing Pains," Thicke continued to appear on TV, as an actor, host and reality-TV personality. Recent guest spots have included "This Is Us," "Fuller House" and "Celebrity Wife Swap." Survivors include his wife, Tanya Callau, and three sons, including singer Robin Thicke. Loring posted on Facebook: "It is a shock. We were all just together for Thanksgiving. He was talented, funny and deeply devoted to his family. Rest In Peace, dear one." Frazer Harrison/Getty Images

Celebrities who have died

Dec. 8, 2016: Actor Joseph Mascolo, who gained fame as a memorable daytime villain on "Days of Our Lives," has died. The actor, who first appeared on Broadway in 1962, found steady work in film and on TV. His big-screen credits include "Jaws 2" and "Shaft's Big Score!" On television, he guest-starred on such shows as "All in the Family," "Kojak" and "The Rockford Files" before joining "Days of Our Lives" in 1982. His character, Stefano DiMera, would appear off and on the program, last appearing on an episode that aired this past July. He ultimately starred in more than 1,600 episodes of the NBC soap. He also had regular roles on "General Hospital" and "The Bold and Beautiful," in which he appeared from 2001 to 2006. Mascolo, who suffered from Alzheimer's disease, was 87. Vivien Killilea/Getty Images

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Dec. 6, 2016: Peter Vaughan, a character actor best-known for playing Maester Aemon on "Game of Thrones," has died. The British performer had a screen career that dated back to the '50s. He appeared in a wide variety of films, including "Straw Dogs" (1971) opposite Dustin Hoffman, "Time Bandits" (1981) and "Death at a Funeral" (2007). On television, he appeared on the U.K. sitcom "Porridge," as well as 1985's "Bleak House," which aired in the United States as part of "Masterpiece Theatre" on PBS. Vaughan was 93. HBO

Celebrities who have died

Nov. 23, 2016: Andrew Sachs, best known for his role as Manuel in the 1970s comedy "Fawlty Towers" opposite John Cleese, has died. The German-born British actor had been suffering from vascular dementia, and the Sachs family kept his illness and death quiet until after services were concluded. He was 86. Ben A. Pruchnie/Getty Images

Nov. 24, 2016: Mexican actor Renato Lopez has died

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Nov. 24, 2016: Mexican actor and TV personality Renato Lopez has died at age 33, according to a statement released by the Mexico State Attorney General's Office. Lopez currently has a film in release in Mexico, "Machos." He hosted TV programs for such networks as E!, Telehit and Mun2. He also has worked as a musician and songwriter; his composition "Fuego con Fuego" was recorded by Gloria Trevi. The bodies of Lopez and publicist Omar Giron Juarez were found with bullet wounds inside a car outside of Mexico City on Nov. 25, Fox News reports. Larry Marano/Getty Images

Celebrities who have died

Nov. 25, 2016: Emmy-nominated actor Ron Glass, who gained fame playing a fussy detective on ABC's "Barney Miller," has died. Glass appeared on the acclaimed sitcom, which ran from 1975 to 1982, for its entire run. He earned an Emmy nomination in the show's final season for his portrayal of Ron Harris. The actor, who was born in Evansville, Ind., began appearing on TV in the early '70s, nabbing guest spots on such programs as "The Streets of San Francisco," "All in the Family," "Maude" and "Good Times." Following the demise of "Barney Miller," he continued to appear on TV, starring as Felix Unger in "The New Odd Couple" and, most notably, 14 episodes of the science-fiction show "Firefly." Glass, who was 71, died of respiratory failure, according to USA Today. Kevin Winter/Getty Images

Celebrities who have died

Nov. 24, 2016: Florence Henderson, who starred as one of TV's most iconic moms in the 1969-1974 ABC sitcom "The Brady Bunch," has died. The singer and actress first appeared on Broadway in the 1950s, then became a frequent guest on TV, regularly visiting talk and variety shows. Her greatest fame came as Carol Brady, the matriarch of a blended family, on the perpetually sunny sitcom, which gained new life in reruns. She remained a presence on TV once the show ended, hosting the TNN series "Country Kitchen" and pitching Wesson cooking oil in a series of commercials. More recently, she appeared on "Dancing with the Stars," both as a competitor (she came in eighth in 2010) and as a guest this season, rooting and performing with Maureen McCormick, who played her eldest daughter on "The Brady Bunch." Henderson died of heart failure, according to her family. She was 82. Michelle Pemberton/Indy Star

Celebrities who have died

Nov. 18, 2016: Soul singer Sharon Jones, bandleader of the Dap-Kings often referred to as the "female James Brown," died following a battle with pancreatic cancer. She received her first Grammy Award nomination in 2014 for her album, "Give the People What They Want." Miss Sharon Jones!, a documentary that followed Jones' first seven months post-diagnosis, was released in July. She was 60. David Kadlubowski/The Republic

Celebrities who have died

Nov. 15, 2016: Actress Lisa Lynn Masters, known for her roles in Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt and Ugly Betty, died of an apparent suicide according to media reports. The actress, who was in Peru to take part in a modeling event, was found dead in her hotel room. She was 52. Jon Kopaloff

Celebrities who have died

Nov. 12, 2016: Mexican actress Lupita Tovar, who starred in the 1931 Spanish-language version of "Dracula," has died at age 106. The actress, who was born in Oaxaca, Mexico, was part of a powerful Hollywood family. She was married to producer and talent agent Paul Kohner; their daughter, Susan Kohner, earned an Oscar nomination for the 1959 film "Imitation of Life." Tovar's grandsons, Chris and Paul Weitz, are well-known directors ("About a Boy," "American Pie"). Tovar's other films include "Santa" (1931), the first Mexican film with sound. Tovar left her acting career behind in the '40s to focus on raising her family. She was honored in 1982 with a Mexican stamp that bore her image; in 2006, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences paid tribute to her accomplishments. Tovar, seen in 2006, died in Los Angeles, according to the Washington Post. Stephen Shugerman/Getty Images

Celebrities who have died

Nov. 10, 2016: Legendary singer-songwriter and poet Leonard Cohen has died at age 82. The member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame had an illustrious career that spanned five decades. Many will recognize his iconic song "1984's "Hallelujah," which was famously covered by Jeff Buckley in 1994. Mike Lawrie/Getty Images

Celebrities who have died

Nov. 3, 2016: Kay Starr, whose distinctive blend of pop, jazz, blues and country made her one of the nation's top vocalists in the '50s, has died. Starr, who began performing as a teenager, topped the national chart twice: 1952's "Wheel of Fortune" spent 10 weeks at No. 1 while 1956's "The Rock and Roll Waltz" stayed at No. 1 for six weeks. Starr later recorded several acclaimed albums for Capitol Records, including "Movin'!" (1959), "Movin' On Broadway!" (1960) and "I Cry By Night" (1962). After the hits faded, she continued to perform in casinos and clubs; for a time in the '80s, she was part of the 4 Girls 4 concert act that also featured Margaret Whiting and Rose Marie. Starr continued to occasionally record, cutting a duet with Tony Bennett in 2001 for his disc "Playin' With My Friends: Bennett Sings the Blues." Starr, who was 94, died at her home in Los Angeles. Special for The Republic

Celebrities who have died

Oct. 30, 2016: Tammy Grimes, who catapulted to fame playing "The Unsinkable Molly Brown" on Broadway, has died. Grimes, who starred from 1960 to 1962 in the Meredith Willson musical, won a Tony Award for her performance. The quirky-voiced actress earned a second Tony in 1969 for "Private Lives." At the height of her fame in the mid '60s, she starred on her own ABC sitcom, "The Tammy Grimes Show," and recorded for Columbia Records. She was married to actor Christopher Plummer from 1956 to 1960; actress Amanda Plummer is their daughter. The performer, who was 82, died in Englewood, N.J., the New York Times reports. Jemal Countess/Getty Images

Celebrities who have died

Oct. 21, 2016: Kevin Meaney, a veteran stand-up comedian known for the catchphrase “That’s not right!” died Friday, his agent confirmed. He also appeared with Tom Hanks in the 1988 movie, Big; on The Tonight Show, Saturday Night Live and on Broadway in the musical Hairspray. He was found unresponsive in his Forestburgh, N.Y., home. An autopsy is pending. He was 60. Bryan Bedder/Getty Images

Celebrities who have died

Oct. 10, 2016: Gonzalo Vega, a popular Mexican actor who first appeared on screen in 1969, has died after a battle with a form of bone marrow cancer. Vega received an Ariel Award, Mexico's equivalent of the Oscar, for best actor for the 1987 film "Lo Que Importa Es Vivir." He retired in 2010 after being diagnosed with myelodysplastic syndrome, but he later returned to performing, starring in the successful 2013 comedy "Nosotros Los Nobles." Vega's two daughters, Zuria and Marimar, are both TV actresses. Vega died in Mexico City with his wife, son and daughters by his side, according to the BBC. He was 69. Warner Bros. Pictures Mexico

Celebrities who have died

Sept. 25, 2016: Musician Kashif, an R&B hitmaker in the '80s, has died at age 59, according to music-industry publication Billboard. Kashif, whose real name was Michael Jones, launched his recording career in 1983. Singles such as "I Just Gotta Have You (Lover Turn Me On)," "Love the One I'm With (A Lot of Love)" and "Personality" all reached the Top 10 on the R&B charts. Equally talented behind the scenes, he produced Whitney Houston's "You Give Good Love" and wrote "Love Come Down" and "Betcha She Don't Love You" for Evelyn "Champagne" King. Kashif (seen in 2004) also recorded with Dionne Warwick, Kenny G, George Benson, Jermaine Jackson and Melba Moore. Giulio Marcocchi/Getty Images

Sept. 25, 2016: Influential vocalist Jean Shepard,

Celebrities who have died

Sept. 25, 2016: Influential honky-tonk singer Jean Shepard, a member of the Country Music Hall of Fame, has died at age 82. Shepard's first hit single, 1953's "A Dear John Letter," was a duet with Ferlin Husky. The disc topped the country charts and crossed over to the pop Top 10. Shepard continued to reach the charts through the '70s with such songs as "A Satisfied Mind," "Second Fiddle (To an Old Guitar)" and "Slippin' Away." The Grand Ole Opry celebrated her 60th year as a member last November. The death of Shepard, seen at the Opry in 1973, was announced by her son, Hawkshaw Hawkins Jr. "Mom has been called home this morning and is now at peace," his statement reads, according to Billboard. Frank Empson/The Tennessean

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Sept. 24, 2016: Veteran character actor Bill Nunn, whose credits ranged from the Spider-Man movie franchise to Lee's Do the Right Thing, He Got Game and School Daze, has died. He also played a stuttering enforcer in the 1991 gangster film New Jack City, and a no-nonsense EMT and Vietnam vet Cassius "Cash" Clay in the TV comedy series Sirens from 2014-15. Nunn died at his home in Pittsburgh after battling cancer, according to The Associated Press. He was 63. Robert Mora/Getty Images

Celebrities who have died

Sept. 17, 2016: Charmian Carr, who sang "Sixteen Going on Seventeen" as eldest daughter Liesl in the classic film "The Sound of Music," has died. Born Dec. 27, 1942, Carr was 22 when the 1965 musical was released. She never appeared in another big-screen feature; later, she authored two books connected to her experiences making the film: "Forever Liesl" (2000) and "Letters to Liesl" (2001). Carr died of complications from dementia, according to the Associated Press. She was 73. Special for The Republic

Celebrities who have died

Sept. 5, 2016: Actor Hugh O'Brian, a handsome television leading man who gained fame playing the title character on the 1955-1961 series "The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp," has died at age 91. The actor's long career also includes such films as "Come Fly with Me" (1963) and "The Shootist" (1976). A familiar face to TV viewers, he guest-starred on such programs as "Fantasy Island," "Police Story," "L.A. Law" and "Murder, She Wrote." Respected for his philanthropic work, O'Brian (seen in 1983) founded the Hugh O'Brian Leadership Foundation in 1958, a program for high-school students that boasts more than 450,000 alumni. The Foundation announced his death in a statement released on Monday. He died at his home in Beverly Hills. Nancy Rhoda/The Tennessean

Celebrities who have died

Sept. 1, 2016: Character actor Jon Polito was a favorite of the Coen brothers and appeared in such films as "Miller's Crossing" and "The Big Lebowski" and shows like "Seinfeld" and "Modern Family." He died Thursday of cancer, according to his managers. He was 65. Kevin Winter/Getty Images

(FILES) This file photo taken on September 7, 1984

Celebrities who have died

Aug. 29, 2016: Gene Wilder, the comedy icon, died from complications of Alzheimer's disease. Wilder was known for his roles in Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory, Blazing Saddles, Young Frankenstein and The Producers. Throughout his career, Wilder was nominated for two Oscars;best supporting actor in<i-family:>The Producersin 1969, and for best adaptedscreenplay with Brooks forBlazing Saddlesin 1975. He also won an Emmy in 2003 for his roll in Will & Grace. Wilder is also known for helping create theGilda Radner Ovarian Cancer Detection Center in Los Angeles as he was heavily involved in cancer awareness.He was 83.</i-family:> MYCHELE DANIAU/Getty Images

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Aug. 23, 2016: Juan Gabriel, an iconic Mexican singer and songwriter, has died of a heart attack. Known as the "divo of Juarez" for his flamboyant style and high-energy pop, ranchera and rock ballads, he had put out more than 1500 songs through the course of his career. He started performing full-time at the age of 15 and had 20 Top 10 albums on Billboard’s Latin Pop Albums chart. He was 66. Getty Images

Celebrities who have died

Aug. 23, 2016: Steven Hill, best known for playing gruff New York District Attorney Adam Schiff on NBC's Law & Order, died Tuesday in New York. His wife Rachel confirmed his death at Mt. Sinai Hospital to the Associated Press but didn't specify the cause of death, saying he'd suffered from multiple ailments. Hill was the longest-serving member of the original cast. His tenure on Law & Order far outlasted his other major TV role as Daniel Briggs on Mission Impossible, which he only played for one season. He was 94. Jessica Burstein/NBC

Celebrities who have died

Aug. 19, 2016: Jack Riley, who played a counseling client on "The Bob Newhart Show" and also voiced a character on Nickelodeon's animated "Rugrats," died Friday. The actor died in Los Angeles, according to his representative Paul Doherty. The Cleveland native also voiced commercials and made guest appearances on numerous TV series including "Seinfeld," ''Night Court" and "Diff'rent Strokes." He was 80. AP Photo/Dan Steinberg, File

Celebrities who have died

Aug. 17, 2016: Arthur Hiller, the versatile director who received an Oscar nomination for directing the hugely popular romantic tragedy "Love Story" during a career that spanned dozens of popular movies and TV shows, died Wednesday of natural causes. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced his death Wednesday. Hiller served as Academy president from 1993-97. Although since dismissed by some as overly syrupy, "Love Story," with Ali MacGraw (pictured with Hiller) and Ryan O'Neal as star-crossed Ivy League lovers, was one of the most popular movies of 1970, but one that almost didn't get made due to Paramount's rocky financial situation. Hiller was 92. AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill, File

Celebrities who have died

Aug. 16, 2016: John McLaughlin, the conservative political commentator and host of the namesake long-running television show that pioneered hollering-heads discussions of Washington politics, has died. According to an announcement on the Facebook page of "The McLaughlin Group" series, McLaughlin died Tuesday morning. No cause of death was mentioned, but an ailing McLaughlin had missed the taping for this past weekend's show for the first time in the series' 34 years. He was 89. Kevin Wolf/AP Photo

Celebrities who have died

Aug. 14, 2016: Emmy-winning actor Fyvush Finkel, whose long career encompassed TV, film and theater, has died at his Manhattan home. Finkel got his start as a child performer, appearing in Yiddish theater productions in New York. He made his Broadway debut in "Fiddler on the Roof" in the 1960s. His films include "Q&A" (1990), "Nixon" (1995) and "A Serious Man" (2009). He achieved his greatest fame on television, winning an Emmy for playing a lawyer on "Picket Fences" and portraying a history teacher on more than 60 episodes of "Boston Public." His career never slowed; his last public performance was a New York cabaret show in July, according to the Hollywood Reporter. Finkel was 93. Kathy Willens/Associated Press

Celebrities who have died

Aug. 13, 2016: British actor Kenny Baker, who played R2-D2 in the first six films in the "Star Wars" franchise, has died. His other movies include "Willow," "Labyrinth," "Amadeus," "Time Bandits" and "The Elephant Man." "A great one," director Guillermo del Toro posted on Twitter. "And, like Napoleon, his stature was measured not from head-to-ground but head-to-sky." Baker, seen in 2007, was 81. Gabriel Bouys/AFP/Getty Images

Celebrities who have died

Aug. 11, 2016: Folk singer Glenn Yarbrough, who founded the popular trio the Limeliters in 1959, has died in Nashville. The singer left the group in 1963; two years later, he scored a major pop hit with "Baby the Rain Must Fall," the title song to a Steve McQueen film. In later years, the tenor occasionally reunited with the Limeliters and maintained a solo career through concerts and recordings. Yarbrough, who suffered from dementia, was 86. Special for The Republic

Celebrities who have died

Aug. 6, 2016: Pete Fountain, a Dixieland clarinet player who achieved great popularity in the '50s and '60s thanks to his swinging musical style, has died. Fountain, seen in 2011, recorded a 1959 version of "Just a Closer Walk With Thee" that became his signature tune and inspired the title of his 1972 memoir, "A Closer Walk." His TV career started on "The Lawrence Welk Show;" later came more than 50 appearances on Johnny Carson's "The Tonight Show" and 56 record albums. He announced his retirement from music in 2014. Fountain, who died of heart failure, was 86. Patrick Semansky/Associated Press

Celebrities who have died

July 19, 2016: Hollywood actor, director, writer and producer Garry Marshall died at 5 p.m. PT Tuesday from complications of pneumonia following a stroke at a hospital in Burbank, Calif. He was 81. His first TV hit was The Odd Couple. Happy Days, Laverne & Shirley (which starred his sister, Penny Marshall) and Mork & Mindy (which introduced the world to Robin Williams) are among his other hit sitcoms. Matt Mendelsohn/USA TODAY

Celebrities who have died

July 3, 2016: Noel Neill, the actress who was the first to play Superman's love interest, Lois Lane, on screen has died. Noel Neill was 95. Neill's biographer Larry Ward tells The Associated Press that she died Sunday at her home in Tucson, Arizona, following a long illness. Kevin Winter/Getty Images

Celebrities who have died

June 23, 2016: Bluegrass icon Ralph Stanley has died after a battle with skin cancer. A singer and banjo player, Stanley formed the Clinch Mountain Boys in 1946 with his brother, Carter. After Carter died in 1966, Stanley kept the group going through the 21st century. His visibility increased after his work on the top-selling "O Brother, Where Art Thou?" soundtrack in 2000, in which his performance of "O Death" earned a Grammy for best male vocal country performance. He was 89. Ed Rode/Associated Press

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June 19, 2016: Anton Yelchin, a rising actor best known for playing Chekov in the rebooted "Star Trek" franchise, has died in a freak traffic collision, according to the Los Angeles Police Department. The actor's other films include "Green Room" and the 2011 remake of "Fright Night." He was 27. Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images

Celebrities who have died

June 18, 2016: Alejandro "Jano" Fuentes, who competed on the 2011 season of "La Voz," the Mexican edition of "The Voice," has died. The singer died in Chicago after being shot three times outside a school where he taught music. Fuentes was celebrating his 45th birthday with friends when the shooting occurred, the Associated Press reports. Singer Lucero, who coached Fuentes on the program, called him a "great friend, great artist" in a Twitter post. Fuentes (left) is seen in a March 13, 2016, photo with Miguel Angel Sanchez. Miguel Angel Sanchez/Associated Press

Celebrities who have died

June 17, 2016: Actor Ron Lester, best-remembered for his role as an obese high-school football player in the 1999 film "Varsity Blues," has died. He also appeared in episodes of "Freaks and Geeks" and "Popular," as well as in the films "Good Burger" and "Not Another Teen Movie." The actor, seen in 2004, lost more than 300 pounds after undergoing weight-loss surgery in 2001. He later said his new appearance led to a decline in acting roles. He had been hospitalized since February due to liver and kidney problems, according to the Associated Press. He was 45. Mark Mainz/Getty Images

Celebrities who have died

June 17, 2016: Comic actor Rubén Aguirre, known to Spanish-speaking audiences as Professor Jirafales on the long-running TV show "El Chavo del Ocho," has died of complications from pneumonia. The Mexican actor died at his home in Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco, according to La Voz. He was 82. Televisa

Celebrities who have died

June 14, 2016: Ronnie Claire Edwards, veteran actress on the beloved TV series, The Waltons has died. She appeared in such movies as The Dead Pool (1988), Nobody’s Fool (1986), and 8 Seconds (1994). Her last role in a TV series was Harlene in 2007's 12 Miles of Bad Road, according to her IMDb page. She also was the author of several books and co-wrote a musical play. She passed peacefully in her sleep according to her Facebook page. She was 83. CBS Photo Archive, CBS via Getty Images

Celebrities who have died

June 14, 2016: Actress Ann Morgan Guilbert, who played busybody neighbor Millie Helper on the classic 1961-1966 sitcom "The Dick Van Dyke Show," has died after a battle with cancer. The comedic actress had a durable career, later playing Grandma Yetta on "The Nanny" in the '90s and appearing this year in two episodes of the CBS comedy "Life in Pieces." She was 87. Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images

Celebrities who have died

June 6, 2016: Theresa Saldana, who starred on the '90s cop show "The Commish," has died at age 61, according to TMZ. The actress also starred in such films as "I Wanna Hold Your Hand" and "Raging Bull." Saldana was violently attacked by a stalker in 1982; she later formed a victims-rights organization called Victims for Victims. In 1984, NBC broadcast a TV movie based on her life, "Victims for Victims: The Theresa Saldana Story." ABC

Celebrities who have died

June 3, 2016: Muhammad Ali, widely hailed as the greatest heavyweight boxer in the sport's history, passed away at the age of 74 in Scottsdale, after being hospitalized a day earlier with a respiratory issue. Ali will be remembered for his personality, social activism, Olympic gold medal in 1960, and for uttering such famous phrases as "I am the greatest, I said that even before I knew I was" and "Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee" He was diagnosed with Parkinson's in 1984 and lent his name to the Muhammad Ali Parkinson’s Center at Barrow Neurological Institute in Phoenix which opened in 1997. The Lavidge Company

Celebrities who have died

May 31, 2016: Jan Crouch, a television evangelist who co-founded the Trinity Broadcasting Network with her husband, Paul Crouch, died after suffering a stroke. She was 78. Crouch, seen in 1988, was a familiar presence on the network's "Praise the Lord" program. Mark Boster

Celebrities who have died

Dec. 31, 2015: Actress Beth Howland (center), who played daffy waitress Vera on the Phoenix-set sitcom "Alice," died Dec. 31, 2015. Her family refrained from announcing her death until May 24, per the actress' wishes. She starred on "Alice" for its entire run, from 1976-1985. Howland is survived by her husband, actor Charles Kimbrough ("Murphy Brown"). She was 74. CBS

Celebrities who have died

May 21, 2016: Former Megadeth drummer Nick Menza died after collapsing on stage during a performance in Los Angeles. He was 51. Menza was a member of Megadeth from 1989-1998. He was playing with his new band, Ohm, when he died. Jim Cooper

Celebrities who have died

May 19, 2016: Alan Young, who played Wilbur Post on the 1961-1966 sitcom "Mister Ed," died at age 96. The comic actor received an Emmy Award in 1951 for "The Alan Young Show" and continued to work into his 90s. CBS

May 19, 2016: The much-honored "60 Minutes" newsman

Celebrities who have died

May 19, 2016: Morley Safer, the much-honored "60 Minutes" newsman, received several awards in his long career, including 12 Emmys, three Overseas Press Club Awards and three Peabody Awards. He announced his retirement on May 11, 2016. He was 84. Andrew H. Walker/Getty Images

Celebrities who have died

May 16, 2016: Tejano music superstar Emilio Navaira, often referred to as "King of the Rodeo" died Monday night after suffering a massive heart attack. Navaira, along with late musician Selena, is credited with bringing Tejano music to the mainstream. He was 53. Scott Gries/Getty Images

Celebrities who have died

May 17, 2016: Guy Clark, a Nashville Songwriters Hall of Famer, died in Nashville on Tuesday morning after a long illness, including a lengthy cancer battle. The author of 13 compelling studio albums, his songs were recorded by Johnny Cash, Ricky Skaggs, Rodney Crowell, Emmylou Harris, Vince Gill, Brad Paisley, Alan Jackson, George Strait, Bobby Bare, Jimmy Buffett, Kenny Chesney, Willie Nelson, Kris Kristofferson and legions of others. He was 74. Mandy Lunn/The Tennessean

Celebrities who have died

April 21, 2016: Rock guitarist Lonnie Mack, credited with influencing Stevie Ray Vaughan, Eric Clapton, Keith Richards and Jimmy Page, died of natural causes Thursday at Centennial Medical Center near his home in Smithville, Tenn. He was 74. The Cincinnati Enquirer file

Celebrities who have died

April 21, 2016: Prince, a 2004 Rock Hall of Fame inductee, won multiple Grammys and a best-original-song Oscar for Purple Rain in 1985. His long list of hit songs includes 1999, Little Red Corvette,When Doves Cry, Let's Go Crazy and Kiss. Prince was briefly hospitalized Friday after his plane was forced to make an emergency landing at Illinois' Quad City International Airport. His representatives told USA TODAY that he had been struggling with the flu. He was 57. Kevin Winter/Getty Images

Celebrities who have died

April 20, 2016: Iconic pro-wrestling champion and WWE wrestler Chyna, whose name is Joan Marie Laurer, was found dead in her California apartment according to the Redondo Beach police department. Chyna, called "the ninth wonder of the world," was born in Rochester, N.Y. and rose to fame for stints with the WWE. She was 45. Associated Press

Celebrities who have died

April 17, 2016: Doris Roberts, the beloved mother on "Everybody Loves Raymond" died Sunday her son Michael Cannata, confirmed Monday. She won four Emmys for her portrayal of Marie Barone on the popular CBS comedy series which ran for 9 seasons (1996-2005) and won an Emmy for her role on the drama St. Elsewhere. Prior to 'Raymon' she had roles on shows including Remington Steele, Barney Miller and Alice. She was 90. Jason Merritt/Getty Images

Celebrities who have died

April 12, 2016: Anne Jackson, a Tony Award-nominated theater actress who often appeared onstage with her husband, the late Eli Wallach, in comedies and classics, died early Tuesday of natural causes at her home in Manhattan. Her death was confirmed by her son, Peter Wallach. She was 90. Bryan Bedder, Getty Images

Celebrities who have died

April 8, 2016: Daisy Lewellyn, a star of Bravo's Blood, Sweat & Heels, has died of cancer at the age of 36. Astrid Stawiarz/Getty Images

Celebrities who have died

April 6, 2016: Merle Haggard, the working man’s poet, an architect of the Bakersfield Sound, and an artist who influenced country music like few others, died Wednesday in California. He had just turned 79 years old, and had been in failing health for some time, leading to the cancellation of several concert dates, including two nights at the Ryman Auditorium that were originally scheduled for March. Frazer Harrison/Getty Images

Celebrities who have died

March 31, 2016: Ronnie Corbett, Influential British comic and half of much-loved duo The Two Ronnies, died Thursday “surrounded by his loving family” according to his publicist Paul Sullivan. The cause of death was not disclosed. He was 85. Rebecca Naden, AFP/Getty Images

Celebrities who have died

March 31, 2016: Zaha Hadid, the Iraqi-born British architect who designed modernist, futuristic buildings acclaimed around the world, died suddenly in a Miami hospital Thursday. According to her firm, Hadid suffered a heart attack while being treated for bronchitis. She was 65. Facundo Arrizabalaga/EPA

Celebrities who have died

March 29, 2016: Patty Duke, the teen who won an Oscar for The Miracle Worker and later played "identical cousins" in her own TV sitcom, has died. She was 69. Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images

Celebrities who have died

March 26, 2016: Jim Harrison, the fiction writer, poet and outdoorsman who wrote the historical saga Legends of the Fall, has died at age 78 at his home in Patagonia, Ariz. Mathieu Bourgois

Celebrities who have died

March 24, 2016: Garry Shandling, a University of Arizona alumni, was best known for his comedic works "It's Garry Shandling's Show" and "The Larry Sanders Show," died Thursday, March 24, 2016, at the age of 66. Frazer Harrison/Getty Images

Celebrities who have died

March 23, 2016: Ken Howard, who was a veteran-character actor and president of the Screen Actors Guild since 2009, died at the age of 71 in his Los Angeles home, the SAG announced. Kevin Winter/Getty Images

Celebrities who have died

March 23, 2016: Baseball legend Joe Garagiola died at the age of 90. He was known around the globe as a baseball announcer for more than 30 years and member of the broadcasters' wing of the Baseball Hall of Fame. David Kadlubowski/The Republic, David Kadlubowski/The Republic

Celebrities who have died

March 22, 2016: Phife Dawg, one of the founding members of legendary hip-hop collective A Tribe Called Quest, died at 45 of complications from diabetes. Andrew H. Walker/Getty Images

Celebrities who have died

March 18, 2016: John Schnabel, patriarch of Discovery Channel's hit show "Gold Rush", died Friday morning at age 96 after battling several severe health issues, according to a Facebook post by Parker Schnabel, gold-mining star on the show and John's grandson. A People.com story said that Schnabel purchased the Gold Nugget Mine in Porcupine Creek, Alaska, nearly 30 years ago. In 1941, Schnabel volunteered to serve his country after the Pearl Harbor bombing. He was in the Air Corps until 1946. He wed Erma Dire in 1950, and the couple had five children. Discovery is set to air a special that will feature Schnabel and his grandson Parker on Friday. The network is also honoring him with a memorial card on-air ahead of a two-hour Gold Rush event at 7 p.m. ET. Gold Rush Legends: Parker Schnabel airs at 9 p.m. ET. Discovery Channel/Edward Gorsuch

Celebrities who have died

March 18, 2016: Joe Santos, who played Lieutenant Dennis Becker on The Rockford Files, has died at 84. Santos died in Santa Monica, California, after a heart attack earlier in the week, according to his agent. Wally Fong, AP Photo

Celebrities who have died

March 18, 2016: Emmy award-winning actor Larry Drake, who was best known for playing Benny on L.A. Law, died at 66. TMZ reported that Drake had been suffering health issues recently and was found dead in his Hollywood Hills home. EIKE SCHROTER/NBC

Celebrities who have died

March 16, 2016: Frank Sinatra Jr., who carried on his famous father’s legacy with his own music career, has died. He was 72. Kidnapped and held for ransom when he was 19, Sinatra Jr. had already followed his dad into the music business by then. He eventually worked for his father as his musical director and conductor. AP

Celebrities who have died

March 11, 2016: Keith Emerson, one-third of the 1970s progressive-rock trio Emerson, Lake and Palmer has died at age 71. The band's official Facebook page confirmed the keyboard player's death but did not elaborate as to the cause. Gareth Cattermole

Celebrities who have died

March 10, 2016: Reese Witherspoon announced that her chihuahua sidekick in the "Legally Blonde" movies, has died. Moonie, who played little Bruiser Woods, was 18. "I will never forget all the days we spent together," she wrote on Instagram. Sam Emerson, MGM

Celebrities who have died

March 8, 2016: The legendary music producer who more than anyone else defined and shaped the sound of the Beatles, died at the age of 90 . Martin earned the title of the "fifth Beatle" after signing the band to their first record contract in 1962 and working with them through the iconic album Abbey Road, according to Rolling Stone. Robyn Beck, AFP/Getty Images

Celebrities who have died

March 6, 2016: Former first lady Nancy Reagan, the former actress who played a pivotal role in the political rise and presidency of husband Ronald Reagan, died Sunday of congestive heart failure. She will be buried next to her husband, former President Ronald Reagan, at his presidential library in Simi Valley, Calif. Nancy Reagan may best be remembered for three words: "Just say no," the motto of her years-long anti-drug crusade. She was 94. Karen Bleier, AFP/Getty Images

Celebrities who have died

March 4, 2016: Singer Joey Martin Feek, died Friday following a two-year battle with cervical cancer. She formed one half of the duo Joey + Rory with husband, Rory Feek. Together, they went from finalists on CMT's music reality competition Can You Duet in 2008 to Grammy nominees this year. She was 40. Here, Joey + Rory perform for fans during the CMA Music Festival at Nashville's Riverfront Park on June 14, 2009. Billy Kingsley/The Tennessean

Celebrities who have died

March 4, 2016: Storyteller Pat Conroy, best known for his work "Prince of Tides," died Friday, March, 4, 2016, due to pancreatic cancer at the age of 70. Conroy's compelling works were often continuations from his difficult youth, family trauma and his home state's civil rights legacy. Jeffrey Vock/Getty Images

Celebrities who have died

March 1, 2016: Lee Reherman, who shot to fame as Hawk on the popular 1990s television show American Gladiators, died at his home in Manhattan Beach Tuesday. The cause of death was not immediately known, but he hadn't been feeling well after undergoing hip replacement surgery. Reherman was a standout offensive tackle at Cornell University who also had a tryout with the Miami Dolphins. He was a scholar who graduated with honors from Cornell, earning a master's in business administration and was pursuing a doctorate in economics at the University of California, Los Angeles, when American Gladiators came calling. After Gladiators ended he went on to work steadily in television and film over the next 20 years. He was 49. Stephen Shugerman/Getty Images

Celebrities who have died

Feb. 24, 2016: Leonard J. "Lennie" Baker (at left), vocalist and saxophone player of the rock-and-doo-wop band Sha Na Na, passed away peacefully on Wednesday at South Shore Hospital in Weymouth, Mass. He was 69. Although the specific cause of death was not disclosed, his nephew David Baker shared online that Lennie had developed a serious infection the week of his death. In 2002 Lennie Baker underwent a kidney transplant, receiving a kidney donated by his nephew. Baker joined Sha Na Na in 1970 and toured the world with them until he retired in 2000. He also appeared on the Sha Na Na variety TV show (1977-1981), and in the movie Grease, singing lead on the song Blue Moon, the Rogers and Hart standard that was a chart hit from the 1978 movie. Doug Griffin/Toronto Star via Getty Images

Celebrities who have died

Feb. 25, 2016: Tony Burton (left) played Tony "Duke" Evers, trainer to Weathers' Apollo Creed in the original 1976 movie and its 1979 sequel, and then joined the team behind Sylvester Stallone's (right) Rocky Balboa, where he remained for four more Rocky movies, concluding with 2006's Rocky Balboa. He began acting in 1974, to parlay his two Golden Gloves light-heavyweight titles into a Hollywood career. He appeared in 1976's Assault on Precinct 13, 1980's The Shining and had a steady string of TV guest spots and retired from acting in 2007, the year after his final Rocky movie. Burton never got to see Creed, due to frequent illnesses over the last year, his sister told the BBC. He was 78. Frazer Harrison/Getty Images

Celebrities who have died

Feb. 22, 2016: Born James Hugh Loden on May 1, 1928, in Hackleburg, Ala., the country singer Sonny James, whose music went from rural Alabama to the moon, died Monday afternoon, according to longtime friend Gary Robble. James was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2006. His smooth 1956 recording of "Young Love" came before the rise of the Nashville sound, and in the late 1960s and early 1970s, James released 16 consecutive chart-topping singles. He was 87. Mark Humphrey/AP Photo

Celebrities who have died

Feb. 19, 2016: Harper Lee, the little girl named Nelle who grew up to write one of the 20th Century's most culture-changing novels, has died in her beloved hometown of Monroeville, Ala. She was 89. Her death was confirmed by the mayor's office in Monroeville, and by a local Alabama news website. Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

Celebrities who have died

Feb. 18, 2016: Angela "Big Ang" Raiola, the raspy-voiced bar owner who gained fame on the reality TV series Mob Wives, died early Thursday, nearly a year after being diagnosed with throat cancer. Raiola died at a New York City hospital while surrounded by friends and family, said series producer Jennifer Graziano. A statement posted from Raiola's Twitter account said she had "peacefully ended her battle with cancer." She was 55. AP Photo

Celebrities who have died

Feb. 15, 2016: Gaynes, best known to TV viewers as the foster father to Soleil Moon Frye's Punky Brewster and her dog Brandon, has died. Born George Jongejans in Helsinki in 1917 to a Russian artist mother and Dutch businessman father, he performed with the New York City Opera, as well as Broadway, where he joined the cast of 1950's Out of This World. In 1953, He was cast in Leonard Bernstein's Wonderful Town, changed his last name to Gaynes and married actress Allyn Ann McLerie, with whom he had a daughter, Iya, and a son, Matthew, and spent the rest of his life. Gaynes was a mainstay of the 'Police Academy' franchise, in which he played Lassard, the commandant of the recruits, and called it a career after the 2003 Ashton Kutcher film Just Married. He was 98. NBC via Getty Images

Celebrities who have died

Feb. 15, 2016: Matthews, the former Prince protege known as Vanity, died at the Washington Hospital Health Care System in Fremont, Calif., according hospital spokeswoman Gisela Hernandez. According to the fundraising page Matthews had on GoFundMe, which appeared to be written in the Fremont hospital four months ago, she had been on dialysis for years but had recently been diagnosed with an often deadly condition called sclerosis encapsulating peritonitis. She was 57. Paul Natkin, Wire Image

Celebrities who have died

Feb. 6, 2016: Gerson, who co-wrote several Walt Disney animated films including Monsters, Inc. and Big Hero 6, died at his Los Angeles home on Saturday, Feb. 6, 2016, after battling brain cancer He was 49. Gerson, shown here in a July 12, 2010 photo released by Disney, was a frequent contributor for Pixar Animation, co-writing both 2001s Monsters, Inc. and its 2013 sequel, Monsters University. Associated Press

Celebrities who have died

Feb. 4, 2016: Maurice White, the founder and leader of Earth, Wind & Fire, died at home in Los Angeles, Wednesday, Feb. 3, 2016, said his brother, Verdine White. He was 74. In this July 7, 2003 file photo, Philip Bailey, from left, Maurice White, and Ralph Johnson, of Earth Wind & Fire hold up the plaques from their induction at the Hollywood Rock Walk at a ceremony in Los Angeles. Matt Sayles/AP

Celebrities who have died

Jan. 29, 2016: Paul Kantner, a founding member of Jefferson Airplane, died Thursday of multiple organ failure at 74. The counterculture psychedelic rock band Jefferson Airplane was formed in 1965 in the Bay Area, and is said to have first defined what became known as the "San Francisco sound." Shawn Baldwin/AP Photo

Celebrities who have died

Jan. 26, 2016: Abe Vigoda, whose leathery, sunken-eyed face made him ideal for playing over-the-hill detective Phil Fish in the 1970s TV series Barney Miller and the doomed Mafia soldier in "The Godfather," died Tuesday at age 94. Vigoda's daughter, Carol Vigoda Fuchs, told the Associated Press that he died Tuesday morning in his sleep at Fuchs' home in Woodland Park, New Jersey. The cause of death was old age. "This man was never sick," Fuchs said. Richard Drew/Associated Press

Celebrities who have died

Jan. 18, 2016: Glenn Frey, Eagles founder and guitarist, was known for co-writing some of the band's top hits, and sang lead on songs "Take It Easy," "Tequila Sunrise," "New Kid in Town," "Heartache Tonight," "Already Gone," "Lyin' Eyes" and "Peaceful Easy Feeling" and also had a successful solo career. He died of complications from rheumatoid arthritis, acute ulcerative colitis and pneumonia. He was 67. Autumn de Wile

Celebrities who have died

Jan. 15, 2016: Dan Haggerty, who starred in the 1970s TV series "The Life and Times of Grizzly Adams," has died. He was 74. This July 2010 photo shows Haggerty in Universal City, California. Dan Steinberg/AP

Celebrities who have died

Jan. 14, 2016: René Angélil, the husband of and mentor-manager who helped make Canadian singer Céline Dion a mega star, has died after a years-long battle with throat cancer. He was 73. In this Aug. 17, 1998 photo, Celine Dion is all smiles with Angélil. USA TODAY/File Photo

Celebrities who have died

Jan. 14, 2016: British actor Alan Rickman, whose career ranged from Britain's Royal Shakespeare Company to the "Harry Potter" films, has died. He was 69. Rickmanís family said Thursday that the actor had died after a battle with cancer. Evan Agostini/Invision/AP Photo

Celebrities who have died

Jan. 10, 2016: Michael Galeota, star of Disney Channel's series "The Jersey" and movie "Clubhouse Detectives," has died at age 31, Galeota's brother, Jimmy, confirmed to USA TODAY. Galeota went to the hospital last Wednesday after complaining about abdominal pains, according to TMZ, which first reported the news. He reportedly left the hospital last Wednesday and died peacefully at home on Sunday. Galeota is seen here in a 1996 photo from series 'Bailey Kipper's P.O.V.' He was 31. MTM

Celebrities who have died

Jan. 10, 2016: Legendary singer David Bowie died following a secret battle with cancer, although the type was not specified, according to The Associated Press, the Daily Mail and other British media. The glam-rock icon, whose hits included "Modern Love," "Heroes," "Let's Dance," and "Fame" was born David Jones in South London on Jan. 8, 1947. His last music video, Lazarus, was released Jan. 7, 2016, and seemed to provide a haunting image of what was to come; Bowie in a hospital bed, his eyes bandaged, the lyrics beginning with the line, "Look up here, I'm in heaven." He was 69. Jimmy King

Celebrities who have died

Dec. 31, 2015: The daughter of legendary crooner Nat King Cole died Thursday evening at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles. She became a star in her own right, winning nine Grammys and releasing platinum albums including 1977's Unpredictable and 1991's Unforgettable... with Love. Yet the singer battled early problems with drug abuse, and later hepatitis C. Cole had a kidney transplant in 2009. The family told the Associated Press the singer died of idiopathic pulmonary arterial hypertension, which led to heart failure. She was 65. EPA

Celebrities who have died

Jan, 6, 2016: Pat Harrington Jr., who won acclaim as the buttinsky building superintendent who rarely fixed anything on the long-running 1970s sitcom, "One Day at a Time," has died, according to his family. His daughters Tresa and Terry posted a message on Facebook Thursday announcing his death on Wednesday evening. He was 86. Harrington is pictured with 'One Day at a Time' cast members Bonnie Franklin, lower right, Valerie Bertinelli, center and MacKenzie Phillips, upper right. CBS

Celebrities who have died

Jan. 1, 2016:The legendary cinematographer Vilmos Zsigmond, best known for "The Deer Hunter" and "Close Encounters of the Third Kind," has died. His business partner Yuri Neyman confirmed that Zsigmond died on Friday in Big Sur, California. He was 85. Tamas Kovacs/MTI/AP Photo

Celebrities who have died

Dec. 31, 2015: Natalie Cole, the Grammy-winning daughter of Nat "King" Cole, who carried on her late father's musical legacy and, through technology, shared a duet with him on "Unforgettable," has died. She was 65. Cole died at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles due to compilations from ongoing health issues, her family said in a statement. Cole had battled drug problems and hepatitis that forced her to undergo a kidney transplant in May 2009. Cole's older sister, Carol "Cookie" Cole, died the day she received the transplant. Their brother, Nat Kelly Cole, died in 1995. Natalie Cole was inspired by her dad at an early age and auditioned to sing with him when she was just 11 years old. She was 15 when he died of lung cancer, in 1965. She began as an R&B singer but later gravitated toward the smooth pop and jazz standards that her father loved. Evan Agostini/AP

Celebrities who have died

Dec. 31, 2015: Wayne Rogers, whose Trapper John McIntyre on "M.A.S.H." was among the most beloved characters on one of the most popular shows of all time, has died. The actor was surrounded by family when he died in Los Angeles of complications from pneumonia at age 82. AP

Celebrities who have died

Dec. 22, 2015: Brooke McCarter, a star of "The Lost Boys," one of the first vampire cult films of the 1980s, has died. According to his family's Facebook post, he died of a liver disorder. He was 52. (L to R) are Chance Michael Corbitt, Brooke, Billy Wirth and Jamison Newlander on July 27, 2007 in Hollywood. Frazer Harrison/Getty Images

Celebrities who have died

Dec. 20, 2015: Angela McEwan, who became a professional actress in her 70s and drew acclaim for her role in Alexander Payne's Nebraska, has died. The Los Angeles-born McEwan set out early in her life to become an actor, but largely gave it up to raise a family and work as a criminal-court Spanish interpreter. But after her gastroenterologist husband, Guillermo McEwan, retired, McEwan took up acting lessons and landed roles in a handful of TV shows including Parks and Recreation, New Girl and HBO's Getting On. A publicist for McEwan confirmed Tuesday that McEwan died Sunday from complications due to lung cancer. She was 81. Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP Photo

Celebrities who have died

Dec. 12, 2015: Rose Siggins, who played Legless Suzi on 'American Horror Story: Freak Show,' died Saturday in Denver, a representative said. She was 43. In this Sunday, Oct. 5, 2014 file photo, Rose Siggins attends the premiere screening of 'American Horror Story: Freak Show.' Tonya Wise/Invision/AP

Celebrities who have died

Actress Marjorie Lord, best known to television fans as Danny Thomas' loyal wife in the 1950s series Make Room for Daddy, has died. The Los Angeles Times reports she passed away of natural causes on Nov. 28 but her death was not announced until weeks later. She was 97. CBS PHOTO ARCHIVE

Celebrities who have died

Dec. 8, 2015: John Trudell, a 25-year-old member of the Alcatraz tribal council, talking to newsmen after a band of Indians occupied a remote former Nike site near Richmond, Calif on June 14, 1971. Trudell, a poet and actor who spoke for American Indian protesters during the 1969 Alcatraz Island occupation and later headed the American Indian Movement, has died at age 69. A trustee of Trudell's estate, Cree Miller, says he died of cancer on Tuesday, at his home in Santa Clara County in Northern Calif. Richard Drew/AP Photo

In this May 17, 2008 photo, Scott Weiland, singer for

Celebrities who have died

Dec. 4, 2015: Scott Weiland, the former frontman for the Stone Temple Pilots and Velvet Revolver, has died. He was 48. AP Photo/Paul Vernon

Celebrities who have died

Nov. 16, 2015: Veteran TV soap star David Canary, who won Daytime Emmys five times playing twins on All My Children, has died, his local newspaper reported. He played Adam and Stuart on All My Children, and also Steve on Another World and died of natural causes, according to the Bulletin of Wilton, Conn., near his home. He was 77. Paul Hurschmann/Associated Press

Celebrities who have died

Nov. 7, 2015: Gunnar Hansen, who played the iconic villain Leatherface in the original 'The Texas Chain Saw Massacre,' died Saturday of pancreatic cancer at his home in Maine, his agent said. He was 68. Albert L. Ortega

Celebrities who have died

Nov. 5, 2015: George Barris, the self-proclaimed "crazy car guy" who customized some of the most popular automobiles in Hollywood — starting with the Holy Grail, Batmobile No. 1, the primo prop used in the 1960s TV series "Batman," died Thursday. Barris Kustom Industries spokesman Edward Lozzi confirmed Barris died following a lengthy illness. He was 89. Robert Hanashiro/USA TODAY

Celebrities who have died

Oct. 30, 2015: Al Molinaro, best known to Baby Boomers and Gen Xers as Al Delvecchio, the jowly faced diner owner on 'Happy Days' died Friday of complications from gallstones at Verdugo Hills Hospital in Glendale, his son Michael Molinaro said. Retired from acting for the last 20 years, Molinaro was 96. Associated Press

Celebrities who have died

Oct. 24, 2015: In this March 17, 1999 file photo, St. Patrick's Day Parade Grand Marshal Maureen O'Hara waves to the people lined up along Fifth Avenue at the annual St. Patrick's Day Parade in New York. O'Hara,who appeared in such classic films as "The Quiet Man” and How Green Was My Valley," has died. Her manager says O’Hara died in her sleep at her home in Boise, Idaho. She was 95. AP

Celebrities who have died

Oct. 12, 2015: Joan Leslie signed with Warner Bros. at the age of 15. In her 20-year career, the Detroit native performed in over 30 films. She romanced Gary Cooper in "Sergeant York," danced with Fred Astaire in "The Sky's the Limit," and sang with James Cagney in "Yankee Doodle Dandy." After marrying physician William Caldwell in 1950, she put her career on hold to raise her twin daughters and do charity. She died in Los Angeles at the age of 90. AP Photo

Celebrities who have died

Oct. 8, 2015: Paul Prudhomme, the internationally known superstar chef and restaurateur whose fresh approach to Cajun and Creole cuisine set off a cooking craze in the 1980s and helped him build a food business empire, died Thursday. He was 75. Pierre-Philippe Marcou/Getty Images

Celebrities who have died

Sept. 22, 2015: Yogi Berra, the Hall of Fame catcher renowned as much for his dizzying malapropisms as his record 10 World Series championships with the New York Yankees, died of natural causes Tuesday at his home in New Jersey, according to Dave Kaplan, the director of the Yogi Berra Museum. He was 90. Kathy Willens/AP Photo

Celebrities who have died

September 20, 2015: Jack Larson, who spent his youth playing wide-eyed cub reporter Jimmy Olsen to George Reeves' TV Superman, has died, after a long life far away from 1950s-era comic-book television. He was 87. Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP Photo

Celebrities who have died

September 19, 2015: Willie Mae Seaton cooks fried chicken for volunteers helping to rebuild her Hurricane Katrina-devastated restaurant, Willie Mae's Scotch House, in New Orleans. Seaton, a chef recognized for her classic American food and whose neighborhood restaurant helped put fried chicken on the culinary map, has died at 99. Cheryl Gerber/AP Photo

Celebrities who have died

Sept. 6, 2015: Martin Milner, whose wholesome good looks helped make him the star of two hugely popular 1960s TV series, Route 66 and Adam-12, has died. He was 83. Bob Riha Jr./Associated Press

Celebrities who have died

Sept. 1, 2015: Actor Dean Jones, poses for a photo while on set for the Warner Bros. film, "Any Wednesday," in New York on May 24, 1966. Jones, has died of Parkinson's Disease at age 84. He passed away on Tuesday, in Los Angeles, publicist Richard Hoffman announced on Wednesday. Dan Grossi/AP Photo

Celebrities who have died

Aug. 30, 2015: Wes Craven arriving at the Scream Awards in Los Angeles on Oct. 16, 2010. Craven, whose "Nightmare on Elm Street" and "Scream" movies made him one of the most recognizable names in the horror film genre, has died. He was 76. Craven's family said in a statement that he died in his Los Angeles home Sunday after battling brain cancer. Matt Sayles/AP Photo

Celebrities who have died

Aug. 29, 2015: Dr. Wayne W. Dyer, the best-selling self-help guru and author of 30 books, died late Saturday, his family and publisher said. He was 75. Hay House

Celebrities who have died

Aug. 25, 2015: Dr. James "Red" Duke instructs a group of U.S. Army flight medics in suturing techniques using pigs feet at Memorial Hermann Hospital in Houston on Aug. 15, 2013. Duke, a trauma surgeon who attended to Texas Gov. John Connally on the day of the Kennedy assassination before going on to become a familiar television doctor, died in Houston on Tuesday, at age 86. Smiley N. Pool/Houston Chronicle/AP Photo

Celebrities who have died

Aug. 24, 2015: IndyCar driver Justin Wilson died from a head injury suffered when a piece of debris struck him at Pocono Raceway. He was 37. Mike DiNovo/USA TODAY Sports

Celebrities who have died

Aug. 18, 2015: Actor-dancer Fred Astaire, center, musical director David Rose, left, and Bud Yorkin, director, pose with a collection of Emmy statuettes at the annual Emmy Awards in Los Angeles on May 6, 1959. They won nine awards for the show "An Evening with Fred Astaire." A family spokesman for Yorkin says the film and TV producer best known for his work on the pioneering sitcom "All in the Family" has died on Tuesday. He was 89. AP Photo

Celebrities who have died

Aug. 17, 2015: Actress Yvonne Craig, best known for her role as Batgirl in the 1960s Batman TV show, died at age 78 from complications related to breast cancer that had metastasized to her liver. Movie Star News

Celebrities who have died

Aug. 7, 2015: Uggie the dog poses in the press room at the 84th Annual Academy Awards held at the Hollywood & Highland Center on February 26, 2012 in Hollywood, Calif. Joe Klamar/Getty Images

August 4, 2015: Country record producer and songwriter

Celebrities who have died

Aug. 4, 2015: Country record producer and songwriter Billy Sherrill, who helped create the smooth "countrypolitan" sound of the 1960s and '70s, has died. He was 78. Rick Diamond/Getty Images

Celebrities who have died

Aug. 1, 2015: British singer Cilla Black died Saturday at her home in Estepona, southern Spain. She was 72. Black's spokesman, Nick Fiveash, confirmed her death and said details would be released after a coroner's report was completed. Getty Images

Celebrities who have died

July 31, 2015: Roddy Piper was a WWE Hall of Famer known for taking on Hulk Hogan. The WWE didn't specify how the wrestler died. Andrew H. Walker, Getty Images

Celebrities who have died

July 26, 2015: True-crime author Ann Rule, who wrote a book about serial killer Gary Ridgway, who left some of his victims' bodies along the Green River outside Seattle, Wash., shown in the background on July 2004. Rule, who wrote more than 30 books, including a profile of her former co-worker, serial killer Ted Bundy, has died at age 83. Scott Thompson, a spokesman for CHI Franciscan Health, said Rule died at Highline Medical Center at 10:30 p.m. Sunday. Betty Udesen/The Seattle Times/AP Photo

Celebrities who have died

July 26, 2015: Bobbi Kristina Brown (L), the daughter of the late Whitney Houston and R&B performer Bobby Brown, passed away while in hospice care at the age of 22, approximately seven months after she was found unresponsive in a bathtub in her Atlanta home. Frazer Harrison/Getty Images

Celebrities who have died

July 10, 2015: Egyptian actor Omar Sharif on his arrival at London Airport on Jan. 3, 1963 . Sharif has died in a Cairo hospital of a heart attack, his agent said on Friday. AP Photo

Celebrities who have died

July 6, 2015: Jerry Weintraub,the Tinseltown legend who produced movies such as the 'Ocean's 11' remake and the 'Karate Kid' franchise, passed away on Monday, July 6, at his Palm Springs home.He is believed to have been suffering ill health in the time before his death and was surrounded by family members when he passed away. Bang Showbiz

Celebrities who have died

July 5, 2015: Actress Peterson passed away at age 43 in her home in Colorado. The actress is best known for her role opposite Patrick Dempsey in the 1987 comedy 'Can't Buy Me Love.'While the cause of death has not been released, her father told the website: ''She had some illness and a sleep apnea problem that may have contributed.'' Bang Showbiz

Celebrities who have died

June 28, 2015: Comedian Jack Carter arrives at the memorial service for Bob Hope at St. Charles Borromeo Catholic Church in Los Angeles' North Hollywood area on Aug. 27, 2003. Carter died of respiratory failure Sunday, at his home in Beverly Hills, Calif. Carter, who turned 93 just four days before his death, was a brash, caustic comic who became a star in early television and sustained a career of more than a half-century in TV, nightclubs, movies and on stage. Reed Saxon/AP Photo

Celebrities who have died

June 23, 2015: Actor Dick Van Patten is photographed in Los Angeles on Oct. 13, 1987. Van Patten, the genial comic actor best known as the patriarch of TV’s “Eight is Enough,” has died, according to his publicist Daniel Bernstein. He was 86. No details on his death were immediately available. Mark Terrill/AP Photo

Celebrities who have died

June 22, 2015: Artist Don Featherstone, 1996 Ig Nobel Prize winner and creator of the plastic pink flamingo lawn ornament, poses with his wife Nancy while being honored as a past recipient during a performance at the Ig Nobel Prize ceremony at Harvard University, in Cambridge, Mass. on Sept. 20, 2012. Featherstone died Monday at an elder care facility in Fitchburg, Mass., according to his wife, Nancy. He was 79. Charles Krupa/AP Photo

Celebrities who have died

June 21, 2015: Gunther Schuller, who wrote and directed the opera "Visitation," at the Metropolitan Opera House at Lincoln Center in New York City on June 28, 1967. Schuller, the leading proponent of the Third Stream movement fusing jazz and classical music, has died at age 89. His son, bassist Ed Schuller, said his father died Sunday at a hospital in Boston. AP Photo

Celebrities who have died

June 15, 2015: Blaze Starr, a burlesque star and stripper, arrives in New Orleans on Sept. 2, 1959 by plane from Miami to visit Louisiana Gov. Earl K. Long. Starr, whose affair with the governor gained notoriety for both parties, has died. She was 83. Starr's nephew, Earsten Spaulding, said she died Monday at her Wilsondale, W. Va., home. He said she had experienced heart issues the past few years. AP Photo

Celebrities who have died

June 12, 2015: Actress Monica Lewis, with a black sapphire orchid the day after her 93rd birthday at home in Woodland Hills, California on May 6, 2015. The actress, singer and voice of the Chiquita Banana cartoon character Lewis has died. Her former manager, Alan Eichler, says Lewis, 93, died Friday of natural causes at her home in the Los Angeles area. Alan Eichler/Monica Lang Archive/AP Photo

Celebrities who have died

June 11, 2015: Virgil Runnels, a former professional wrestler known by his fans as Dusty Rhodes, has died. He was 69. The company said Runnels died Thursday, but a spokesman declined to say where or how, saying the family had not authorized the release of that information. Dave Kotinsky

Celebrities who have died

June 11, 2015: Jim Ed Brown speaks during the presentation of the Country Music Hall of Fame inductees in Nashville, Tenn on March 25, 2015 .The longtime Grand Ole Opry member Brown has died at age 81 after a battle with cancer. Brown’s death Thursday was announced in a news release from Webster Public Relations. It said Brown died at Williamson Medical Center in Franklin. Mark Humphrey/AP Photo

Celebrities who have died

June 7, 2015: Iconic British actor Sir Christopher Lee has died at the age of 93, according to multiple media reports. Lee, who starred in many films over his long career including The Lord of the Rings, Star Wars and Dracula, passed away in Chelsea and Westminster Hospital in London, on Sunday after being treated for respiratory problems. Vittorio Zunino Celotto/Getty Images

Celebrities who have died

May 20, 2015: Film director Robert Zemeckis, poses with his wife, Mary Ellen, and his son, Alex, 11, next to a cement plaque which bears his signature, hands and footprints outside Mann's Chinese Theatre in the Hollywood section of Los Angeles on July 8, 1997. Actress Mary Ellen Trainor, who appeared in the "Lethal Weapon" films and "The Goonies," has died. Lucasfilm President Kathleen Kennedy confirmed on Monday, June 8, 2015, that Trainor, a longtime friend, passed away at home in Montecito, California. Trainor was married to Zemeckis for 20 years (they divorced in 2000). Damian Dovarganes/AP Photo

Celebrities who have died

June 5, 2015: Well-known French Chef Roger Verge in the kitchens of his restaurant, the Moulin de Mougins, near Cannes, France on May 10, 1987. French chef Roger Verge, who revived interest in Mediterranean cuisine and trained or inspired stars of French gastronomy including Alain Ducasse, has died. He was 85. The restaurant he led for decades, Le Moulin de Mougins on the French Riviera, posted a Facebook homage praising a “man with heart” who pleased “generations of palates” with food such as his signature zucchini flower and black truffle roll. Gilberte Tourte/AP Photo

Celebrities who have died

June 3, 2015: Horst Brandstaetter, who launched the popular Playmobil range of plastic toys in the 1970s, has died. He was 81. Playmobil manufacturer Geobra Brandstaetter Stiftung, which Brandstaetter owned, said in a statement Monday June 8, 2015 Daniel Karmann/ DPA/AP Photo

Celebrities who have died

May 26, 2015: Dennis Sheehan, U2’s longtime tour manager. Sheehan has died a day after the band kicked off a five-night stint in the Los Angeles area. Bono posted a statement about Sheehan’s death Wednesday, May 27, 2015, on his website, saying “we lost a family member, we’re still taking it in.” Sheehan has managed U2’s tours for more than three decades. Brantley Gutierrez/Courtesy U2/AP Photo

Celebrities who have died

May 25, 2015: Photographer Mary Ellen Mark, a renowned documentary photographer whose subjects ranged from runaway children to world leaders died Monday, in New York. She was 75 years old. Todd Williamson/Leica/AP Photo

Celebrities who have died

May 20, 2015: Bob Belden, a Grammy-winning jazz musician, composer, arranger and producer, died Wednesday. He was 58. Belden died at Lenox Hill Hospital in Manhattan after suffering a heart attack in his apartment, his sister Elizabeth Belden Harmstone said. Vahid Salemi/AP Photo

Celebrities who have died

May 6, 2015: The manager of Hot Chocolate singer Errol Brown says he has died in the Bahamas at age 71. Manager Phil Dale said Wednesday the singer, best known for hits "You Sexy Thing" and "It Started With A Kiss," died of liver cancer. Jonathon Wood/Getty Images

Celebrities who have died

May 1, 2015: Grace Lee Whitney, who was best known for playing Yeoman Janice Rand on the original series of 'Star Trek', passed away at her home in Coarsegold, California. She was 85. Bang Showbiz

Celebrities who have died

April 30, 2015: Beloved R&B singer Ben E. King, best known for the song Stand By Me, has died. He was 76. Ethan Miller/Getty Images

Celebrities who have died

April 29, 2015: Australian cinematographer Andrew Lesnie, best known for his work on "The Lord of the Rings," has died, friends and colleagues said Wednesday. He was 59. Kevork Djansezian/AP Photo

Celebrities who have died

April 28, 2015: Jack Ely, co-founder of the early 60's band The Kingsmen and best known for his 1963 rendition of the song "Louie, Louie", sits at his home in Terre Bonne, Ore. Ely has died after a long battle with an illness, his son, Sean Ely, confirmed Tuesday. He was 71. Don Ryan/AP Photo

Celebrities who have died

April 26, 2015: Actress and TV personality Jayne Meadows, who often teamed with her husband Steve Allen, has died. A spokesman said Monday that Meadows was 95 and died of natural causes. David Livingston/Getty Images

Celebrities who have died

April 23, 2015: 'Everybody Loves Raymond' star Sawyer Sweeten has died. He was 19 years old. Sawyer Sweeten (L) is pictured with his sister Madylin Sweeten and twin brother Sullivan Sweeten at the 8th Annual TV Land Awards at Sony Studios on April 17, 2010 in Culver City, California. Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images

Celebrities who have died

April 17, 2015: Bahamian singer Johnny Kemp, seen here in the video for his 1989 hit 'Just Got Paid,' was found dead in Jamaica on Thursday. He was 55. JohnnyKempVEVO via Youtube

Celebrities who have died

April 15, 2015: Jonathan Crombie, who played Gilbert Blythe in the classic 1980s PBS film 'Anne of Green Gables,' has died. He was 48. CBC/YouTube

Celebrities who have died

April 14, 2015: Chef Homaro Cantu, who artfully blended science and fine dining at his Michelin-starred Chicago restaurant, has died. The 38-year-old Cantu, one of Chicago's most renowned chefs, turned cooking into alchemy through his playful and surprising brand of molecular gastronomy at Moto, the restaurant he led in the city's West Loop. Jeff Haynes/AFP/Getty Images

Celebrities who have died

April 14, 2015: Percy Sledge, who recorded the classic 1966 soul ballad "When a Man Loves a Woman," has died. He was 74. Mark Humphrey/AP Photo

Celebrities who have died

April 13, 2015: German literature Nobel prize laureate Guenter Grass has died, his publishing house confirmed. He was 87. Fabian Bimmer/AP Photo

Celebrities who have died

April 5, 2015: Richard Dysart, a veteran stage and screen actor who played senior partner Leland McKenzie in the long-running courtroom drama "L.A. Law," died at his home in Santa Monica, California, after a long illness. He was 86. Doug Pizac/AP Photo

Celebrities who have died

April 4, 2015: James Best, the actor who portrayed the sheriff, died Monday after a brief illness and complications from pneumonia, reports The Charlotte Observer. He was 88. Original "Dukes Of Hazzard" cast members (l-r) Ben Jone, Sonny Shroyer, Catherine Bach and James Best arrive at the CMT Music Awards, April 11, 2004 in Nashville, Tennessee. Rusty Russell/Getty Images

Celebrities who have died

April 5, 2015: Julie Wilson, a musical theater actress and cabaret star who earned a Tony Award nomination and was cheered for her ability to harness the songs of Stephen Sondheim and Cole Porter, has died. She was 90. Marty Reichenthal/AP Photo

Celebrities who have died

April 4, 2015: Robert Burns Jr., left, was the drummer for Lynyrd Skynyrd until 1974. He died early Saturday in a Georgia car accident. He was 64. Courtesy of MCA Records

Celebrities who have died

April 1, 2015: Cynthia Lennon, the first wife of Beatle's band member John Lennon, sits behind copies of her newly released book entitled 'John' during a book signing at Foyle's bookshop in central London. Cynthia Lennon passed away on Wednesday at her home in Mallorca, Spain, following a short but brave battle with cancer. Jane Mingay/AP Photo

Celebrities who have died

March 23, 2015: Gary Dahl, originator of the Pet Rock, holds Pet Rock items in 1976. Gary Ross Dahl, the creator of the wildly popular 1970s fad the Pet Rock, has died at age 78 in southern Oregon. Dahl's wife, Marguerite Dahl, confirmed Tuesday March 31, 2015 that her husband of 40 years died March 23 of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. San Francisco Chronicle/AP Photo

March 30, 2015: Scott Weiland, left, performs with

Celebrities who have died

March 30, 2015: A band representative confirmed that Jeremy Brown died Monday, March 30, at his home in Venice, Calif. No cause of death was given. He was 34.ScottWeiland, left, performs with band mate Jeremy Brown, during an exclusive listening party at Hard Rock Cafe Hollywood on Hollywood BLVD in Los Angeles. Colin Young-Wolff/Hard Rock Cafe/AP Photo

Celebrities who have died

March 28, 2015: Director Gene Saks in New York on April 22, 1977. Saks, the Tony Award-winning director who brought to life many of Neil Simon’s works onstage and on screen, died Saturday, his son said. He was 93. Jerry Mosey/AP Photo

Celebrities who have died

March 15, 2015: This March 5, 1950 file photo shows Sally Forrest modeling a dress from the Emily Wilkens collection during a visit to New York. Forrest, an actress-dancer who graced the silver screen throughout the `40s and `50s in MGM musicals and films such as the 1956 noir "While the City Sleeps," died at her home in Beverly Hills, California. She was 86 and had long battled cancer. AP Photo

Celebrities who have died

March 21, 2015: Actress Alberta Watson passed away on Saturday, March 21, in the arms of her husband, Ken, at Kensington Hospice in Toronto, Canada, after a lengthy cancer battle. Watson is pictured here at the Toronto International Film Festival in 2006. Carlo Allegri/Getty Images

Twisted Sister drummer A.J. Pero performs at The Joint

Celebrities who have died

March 20, 2015: Twisted Sister drummer A.J. Pero died Friday, March 20, 2015, from an apparent heart attack. A.J. Pero is pictured at The Joint inside the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino September 2, 2006 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Ethan Miller/Getty Images

Celebrities who have died

March 12, 2015: Fantasy writer Terry Pratchett, creator of the "Discworld" series and author of more than 70 books, has died at the age of 66. Ian Gavan/Getty Images

Celebrities who have died

March 10, 2015: Richard Glatzer, who co-wrote and directed the Alzheimer’s drama “Still Alice” alongside his husband, Wash Westmoreland, while battling ALS, died in Los Angeles. He was 63. Chris Pizzello /Invision/AP

Celebrities who have died

March 9, 2015: Windell Middlebrooks, who appeared on TV shows including "Body of Proof" and "Cougar Town," along with Miller High Life beer commercials, has died. He was 36. Michael Buckner/Getty Images for DirecTV

Celebrities who have died

March 8, 2015: Sam Simon, co-creator of "The Simpsons" who made a midlife career shift into philanthropy and channeled much of his personal fortune into social causes including animal welfare, has died after a long bout with cancer. He was 59. Frazier Moore/AP

Celebrities who have died

March 5, 2015: Filmmaker Albert Maysles attends the premiere of the HBO documentary "Ethel" in New York. Maysles, known for his works of “cinema verite” in the 1960s and ‘70s, including the Rolling Stones documentary “Gimme Shelter” and “Salesman,” about a traveling Bible salesman, died Thursday, March 5, 2015 in New York. He was 88. Evan Agostini /Invision/AP Photo

Celebrities who have died

Feb. 27, 2015: Leonard Nimoy, famous for playing officer Mr. Spock in “Star Trek,” died Friday, Feb. 27, 2015 in Los Angeles of end-stage chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. He was 83. AP

Celebrities who have died

Feb. 23, 2015: Ben Woolf, an actor on "American Horror Story," died Monday afternoon at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, publicist Zack Teperman said. Woolf's family was at his side. The 4-foot-4 actor was hospitalized in critical condition after he was hit by the side mirror of a passing vehicle last Thursday night on a street in Los Angeles. Tonya Wise/Invision/AP Photo

Celebrities who have died

Feb. 21, 2015: Jazz trumpeter Clark Terry, who played with Duke Ellington, Count Basie, Thelonius Monk, Ella Fitzgerald and many other legends, died at 94. Todd Feeback/AP

February 19, 2015: Harris Wittels, who worked as a

Celebrities who have died

Feb. 19, 2015: Harris Wittels, who worked as a writer and executive producer on the NBC comedy "Parks and Recreation," was found dead Thursday of a possible drug overdose at his Los Angeles home, police said. He was 30. Frazer Harrison/Getty Images

Singer-songwriter Lesley Gore died Monday, Feb. 16,

Celebrities who have died

Feb. 16, 2015: Singer-songwriter Lesley Gore, best known for the 1963 hit "It's My Party," died at age 68. Louis Lanzano/Associated Press

FILE - This April 27, 2006 file photo shows poet Philip

Celebrities who have died

Feb. 14, 2015: Philip Levine, a Pulitzer Prize-winning poet whose intimate portraits of blue-collar life were grounded in personal experience and political conscience, died at age 87. Gary Kazanjian/AP Photo

Celebrities who have died

Feb. 12, 2015: Gary Owens, best known for announcing "Rowan and Martin's Laugh-In," died. Owens (pictured with "Laugh-In" co-star Ruth Buzzi) was 80. RENE MACURA, AP

February 12, 2015: Steve Strange, lead singer of British

Celebrities who have died

Feb. 12, 2015: Steve Strange, lead singer of British band Visage, has died in a hospital in the Egyptian Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheik, his record label said Thursday. He died of an apparent heart attack. He was 55. Anthony Harvey/Getty Images

Celebrities who have died

Feb. 6, 2015: Prolific author Andre Brink, who used his work to question the policies of South Africa's apartheid regime and was nominated for a Nobel Prize in Literature, has died. He was 79. Getty Images

Celebrities who have died

Feb. 2, 2015: Screenwriter and two-time Academy Award nominee Stewart Stern, who's best known for writing the screenplay for Nicholas Ray's "Rebel Without a Cause," has died. He was 92. Getty Images

Celebrities who have died

Jan. 31, 2015: Lizabeth Scott (right), whose long tawny hair, alluring face and low seductive voice made her an ideal film noir star in the 1940s and ‘50s has died in Los Angeles at age 92. AP

Celebrities who have died

Jan. 30, 2015: Geraldine McEwan, known for many roles including playing the famous Agatha Christie detective Miss Marple in 12 TV movies, died following treatment for a stroke, her family said. She was 82. Getty Images

January 29, 2015: Rod McKuen, the husky-voiced "King

Celebrities who have died

Jan. 29, 2015: Rod McKuen, the husky-voiced "King of Kitsch" whose music and verse recordings won him an Oscar nomination and made him one of the best-selling poets in history, died on Thursday, Jan. 29, 2015. He was 81. Getty Images

January 29, 2015: Best-selling author McCullough, whose

Celebrities who have died

Jan. 29, 2015: Best-selling author McCullough, whose novel "The Thorn Birds" sold 30 million copies worldwide, has died at age 77 after a long illness. McCullough diedin a hospital on the remote Norfolk Island, HarperCollins Australia publishing director Shona Martyn said in a statement.TheAustralian author is pictured here during a news conference in New York on March 1, 1977. AP Photo

Celebrities who have died

Jan. 25, 2015: Demis Roussos, a household name in the 1970s and 1980s across Europe and beyond, has died in Athens at the age of 68. Getty Images

Jan. 22, 2015: Designer Vince Camuto attends 2013 CFDA

Celebrities who have died

Jan. 22, 2015: Shoe designer Vince Camuto has died at age 78 after an ongoing battle with cancer. Bryan Bedder/Getty Images

Celebrities who have died

Jan. 9, 2015: Frans Molenaar, a versatile Dutch fashion designer whose clothes graced catwalk models, royalty and garbage men, has died at age 74. AFP/Getty Images

Celebrities who have died

Jan. 11, 2015: Anita Ekberg, the Swedish-born actress and sex-symbol of the 1950s and '60s who was immortalized bathing in the Trevi fountain in "La Dolce Vita," has died at age 83. AP photo

Celebrities who have died

Jan. 10, 2015: Taylor Negron, comedian, actor and playwright, has died after a long battle with cancer at age 57. Andrew H. Walker/Getty Images

Jan. 10, 2015: American novelist Robert Stone, the

Celebrities who have died

Jan. 10, 2015: Award-winning American novelist Robert Stone, known for "A Flag for Sunrise" and "Dog Soldiers," has died at 77 at his home in Key West, Fla. The cause was chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Bebeto Matthews/AP file photo

Celebrities who have died

Jan. 9, 2015: Samuel Goldwyn Jr., a champion of the independent film movement and son to one of the founding fathers of Hollywood cinema, has died from congestive heart failure at age 88. Ellis R. Bosworth/AP file photo

Andrae Crouch displays his two Grammys backstage at

Celebrities who have died

Jan. 8, 2015: Crouch, a legendary gospel performer, songwriter and choir director whose work graced songs by Michael Jackson and Madonna and movies such as “The Lion King,” has died at age 72. His publicist said Crouch died Thursday at a hospital in Los Angeles, where he was admitted Saturday after suffering a heart attack.Crouch is pictured holding two Grammys he won at the 37th annual Grammy Awards in Los Angeles on March 1, 1995.He won Pop-Contemporary Gospel Album for "Mercy," and Instrumental Arrangement with Vocals for "Circle of Life," with Lebo Morake and Hans Zimmer. Kevork Djansezian/AP Photo

January 7, 2015: Suave Australian-born actor Rod Taylor,

Celebrities who have died

Jan. 7, 2015: Suave Australian-born actor Rod Taylor, who starred in Alfred Hitchcock's "The Birds," along with many other films and TV shows, died on Wednesday at his home in Los Angeles. Taylor was 84. Don Brinn/AP Photo

January 6, 2015 :Patricia Roppel in Bellevue, Washington

Celebrities who have died

Jan. 6, 2015: Patricia Roppel in Bellevue, Washington on Dec. 11, 2014. Patricia Roppel, who wrote 13 books and more than 100 articles, many about the history of Southeast Alaska, has died. Roppel, of Wrangell, Alaska, was 76. Her daughter, Cindy Baird, tells the Associated Press that Roppel died of cancer in Bellevue, Wash. Survivors include her husband of 55 years, Frank Roppel, two children, John and Cindy, and two grandchildren. Frank Roppel/AP Photo

Jan. 5, 2014: Constance Francesca Hilton, Zsa Zsa Gabor's

Celebrities who have died

Jan. 5, 2015: Constance Francesca Hilton, Zsa Zsa Gabor's and Conrad Hilton's daughter, passed away Monday evening from a suspected stroke/heart attack. Toby Canham/Getty Images

January 4, 2014: Michele Serros, a short story writer,

Celebrities who have died

Jan. 4, 2015: Michele Serros, a short story writer, essayist and poet whose wry and witty observations on growing up Mexican-American in Southern California became required reading in many ethnic studies courses, has died at age 48. Serros died Sunday at her home in Berkeley, Calif., after a 20-month battle with a rare form of oral cancer, said her husband, Antonio Magana. Rachel Buchan/AP Photo

Celebrities who have died

Jan. 4, 2015: Stuart Scott, the longtime “SportsCenter” anchor and ESPN personality known for his known for his enthusiasm and ubiquity, died Sunday, Jan. 4, 2015, after a long fight with cancer. He was 49. John Shearer/AP Photo

Grand Ole Opry star Little Jimmy Dickens arrives at

Celebrities who have died

Jan. 2, 2015:Grand Ole Opry star Little Jimmy Dickens diedFridayat age 94. Chitose Suzuk, AP

Celebrities who have died

Jan. 1, 2015:Poet Miller Williams who read a poem at former President Bill Clinton’s 1997 inauguration died at age 84. Dan Hale/AP

Celebrities who have died

Jan. 1, 2015: Donna Douglas, who played hillbilly bombshell Elly May Clampett on the beloved 1960s sitcom "The Beverly Hillbillies," has died at age 82.Charlene Smith, her niece-in-law, confirmed Friday to USA TODAY that she died of pancreatic cancer on New Year's Day at Baton Rouge General Hospital, near her home in Zachary, La. Getty Images

Celebrities who have died

Dec. 30, 2014: Blues musician Melvin Jackson, who played with legends B.B. King and Bobby "Blue" Bland died at age 79. Valerie Jordan

December 31, 2014: Actor Edward Herrmann, known for

Celebrities who have died

Dec. 31, 2014: Actor Edward Herrmann, known for his work as Richard Gilmore in the TV show "Gilmore Girls," for a recurring role in "The Good Wife" and for appearing in movies such as "The Wolf of Wall Street," died today at 71. Getty Images

December 22, 2014: Actress Christine Cavanaugh, known

Celebrities who have died

Dec. 22, 2014: Actress Christine Cavanaugh, known as the voice of Babe the pig, Chuckie from "Rugrats" and Dexter from "Dexter's Laboratory," has died at age 51. H. Darr Beiser, USA TODAY

Celebrities who have died

Dec. 30, 2014: Luise Rainer poses in her central London apartment on July 29, 1999. Rainer, a star of cinema's golden era who won back-to-back Oscars but then walked away from a glittering Hollywood career, has died. She was 104. Rainer's daughter, Francesca Knittel-Bowyer, told The Associated Press her mother died Tuesday. In 1936 and 1937, Rainer was the first performer ever to win back-to-back Academy Awards, for "The Great Ziegfeld" and "The Good Earth." Adam Butler/AP Photo

Celebrities who have died

Dec. 25, 2014: British actor David Ryall has died, according to multiple reports. He was 79. YouTube

Celebrities who have died

Dec. 24, 2014: Renowned jazz clarinetist Buddy DeFranco — who collaborated with Frank Sinatra, Billie Holiday and other top singers and musicians of his era — has died at the age of 91. Jennifer Szymaszek/AP

December 25, 2014: Detroit singer Alberta Adams was

Celebrities who have died

Dec. 25, 2014: Detroit singer Alberta Adams was 97 when she died early Thursday at a Dearborn rehabilitation facility of congestive heart failure. "God put me here to sing the blues," she told the Free Press in 1999, amid a late-life career resurgence that saw her touring North America and earning acclaim from blues aficionados around the world. Robert Barclay

Dec. 22, 2014: Joe Cocker on July 27, 2011. English

Celebrities who have died

Dec. 22, 2014: English singer Joe Cocker, known for his cover of The Beatles' "With a Little Help from My Friends" and his 1974 hit "You Are So Beautiful," died Monday after a battle with lung cancer, according to Sony Music. He was 70. Ernesto Ruscio, Getty Images

Celebrities who have died

Dec. 21, 2014: Billie Whitelaw on April 2, 2006. British actress Billie Whitelaw, who collaborated closely with Irish playwright Samuel Beckett and appeared on stage and screen for decades, has died in a London nursing home at age 82. Denville Hall general manager Charlotte Schram said Whitelaw died Sunday. Edmond Terakopian/AP Photo

Celebrities who have died

Dec. 13, 2015: Phil Stern, an award-winning photographer who lugged his camera into combat during World War II and later became known for candid shots of Hollywood stars like Marlon Brando, has died. He was 95. Ric Francis/AP photo

December 9, 2014: Mary Ann Mobley at the Grauman's

Celebrities who have died

Dec. 9, 2014: Mary Ann Mobley at the Grauman's Chinese Theatre on April 28, 2011 in Hollywood, California.Mary Ann Mobley, the first Miss Mississippi to be crowned Miss America, died at her home in Beverly Hills, Calif., on Tuesday after a battle with breast cancer at the age of 75, the University of Mississippi has confirmed. Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images

Decemebr 7, 2014: Some of the original cast of the

Celebrities who have died

Dec. 7, 2014: Some of the original cast of the TV show, "The Addams Family," from left, John Astin, (Gomez Addams), Felix Silla, (Cousin Itt), Lisa Loring, (Wednesday Addams) and Ken Weatherwax, (Pugsley Addams), reunited at a special Halloween edition of ABC's "Good Morning America" outside their Times Square studios in New York. Weatherwax, who played the child character Pugsley on "The Addams Family" television series in the 1960s, has died. He was 59. Ida Mae Astute/ABC/AP Photo

December 7, 2014: Whip-smart and witty, with a laugh

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Dec. 7, 2014: Whip-smart and witty, with a laugh that could fill a newsroom, reporter Olivia Barker died Sunday at home after a four-year battle with breast cancer. She was 40. Robert Deutsch/USA TODAY

Celebrities who have died

Dec. 2, 2014: Bobby Keys (left), a saxophonist and life-long rock ‘n roller who played on recordings by Buddy Holly and John Lennon and performed one of the all-time blowout solos on the Rolling Stones’ “Brown Sugar,” has died at age 70. Casey Monahan/AP

Celebrities who have died

Nov. 30, 2014: Author Kent Haruf, who wrote "Plainsong" and several other novels set in small-town Colorado, died Sunday at age 71, his publisher said. Kent Haruf/Facebook

November 29, 2014: In this Nov. 18, 1995, file photo,

Celebrities who have died

Nov. 29, 2014: In this Nov. 18, 1995, file photo, former U.S. Poet Laureate Mark Strand (R) meets with Ocatavio Paz, Mexican author and Nobel Prize winner for literature, in Mexico City. Pulitzer Prize-winning poet laureate Strand died on Saturday, Nov. 29, 2014, according to his daughter. He was 80. Joe Cavareta/AP Photo

Celebrities who have died

Nov. 27, 2014: TV personality Ryan Knight attends MTV's "The Challenge: Rivals II" final episode and reunion party at Chelsea Studio on September 25, 2013 in New York City. TMZ confirmed Knight passed away Thursday morning at the age of 29. Mike Coppola/Getty Images

November 19, 2014: Mike Nichols arrives at the AFI

Celebrities who have died

Nov. 19, 2014: Mike Nichols arrives at the AFI Lifetime Achievement Awards honoring Mike Nichols, presented at Sony Pictures Studios on June 10, 2010 in Culver City, Calif. ABC News confirms director Mike Nichols and husband of Diane Sawyer died Wednesday evening. He was 83. Chris Pizzello/AP Photo

Celebrities who have died

Nov. 14, 2014: Glen A. Larson, the writer and producer behind well-loved TV series such as the original "Battlestar Galactica," ''Knight Rider," ''Magnum, P.I." and "Quincy, M.E.," died due to complications from esophageal cancer. Rocco Ceselin/AP Photo

November 14, 2014: Diem Brown best recognized for her

Celebrities who have died

Nov. 14, 2014: Diem Brown, best recognized for her MTV's Real World/Road Rules Challenge appearance, lost her long battle with cancer at the age of 32 in New York City. Mark Sagliocco/Getty Images

Celebrities who have died

Nov. 11, 2014: Carol Ann Susi, the actress best known for voicing the unseen Mrs. Wolowitz on "The Big Bang Theory," died in Los Angeles after a brief battle with cancer. She was 62. Warner Bros. Television/AP Photo

Celebrities who have died

Nov. 9, 2014: Black Tusk bassist Jonathan Athon, center, stands with drummer James May, left, and guitarist Andrew Fidler. Athon, 32, died Sunday, from injuries he suffered in a motorcycle crash in Savannah, Georgia, where the heavy metal band formed in 2005. Geoff L. Johnson/AP Photo

Celebrities who have died

Nov. 5, 2014: Manitas de Plata, seated at center, performing in France on March 9, 1970. Iconic flamenco guitarist Manitas de Plata, who sold nearly 100 million records worldwide and broke boundaries for gypsy musicians, has died in southern France. He was 93. Spartaco Bodini/AP Photo

Popular radio personality Tom Magliozzi died on November,

Celebrities who have died

Nov. 3, 2014: Popular radio host of "Car Talk," Tom Magliozzi died of complications from Alzheimer's disease. He was 77 years old. Charles Krupa/AP

Celebrities who have died

October 25, 2014: Rock bassist Jack Bruce, a member of the band Cream, has died at age 71. After leaving Cream, Bruce went on to front many of his own bands. Ethan Miller/Getty Images

Celebrities who have died

Oct 21, 2014: Tyson Stevens, former lead singer for Gilbert-based screamo group Scary Kids Scaring Kids has died. He was 29. RCA Records

Celebrities who have died

Oct. 20, 2014: One of the world's most legendary fashion designers, Oscar de la Renta, died Monday. He was 82. Bang Showbiz

Alfred Wertheimer, who had captured Elvis Presley in

Celebrities who have died

Oct. 19, 2014: Alfred Wertheimer, the photographer whose photographs of Elvis Presley documented the start of a legendary career, has died. He was 85 Hannelore Foerster/Getty Images

Celebrities who have died

Oct 19, 2014: Raphael Ravenscroft, the musician behind one of the most recognizable saxophone solos - on Gerry Rafferty's hit Baker Street. Ravenscroft's family said he died Sunday at a hospital in Exeter, southwest England. Ravenscroft was 60. Roy Anderson/Family/AP Photo

Celebrities who have died

Oct. 14, 2014: Elizabeth Pena flashes a peace sign as she arrives for the 2003 IFP Independent Spirit Awards in Santa Monica, California. The "La Bamba" and "Lone Star" actress Pena, 55, has died. Pena's manager, Gina Rugolo, said the actress died Tuesday in Los Angeles of natural causes after a brief illness. Chris Pizzello/AP Photo

Celebrities who have died

Oct. 14, 2014: Jack White, center, performs with Isaiah "Ikey" Owens, right, and band members at The Governors Ball Music Festival at Randall's Island Park in New York on June 7, 2014. A publicist for Jack White says the rocker is canceling his remaining tour dates in Mexico after the death of his band's keyboard player, Owens. The statement said Owens, 38, died Tuesday morning, in Mexico. Scott Roth/Invision/AP Photo

Celebrities who have died

Oct. 9, 2014: Poet, Carolyn Kizer. Kizer, a feminist Pulitzer Prize-winning poet who spoke her political mind even at age 7, has died in Sonoma from the effects of dementia, Rigsbee said. She was 89. Thomas Victor/Estate of Carolyn Kizer/AP Photo

FILE - In this Oct. 27, 2011 file picture Czech actor,

Celebrities who have died

Oct. 10, 2014: Pavel Landovsky, a Czech actor, anti-communist dissident and a friend of late president and playwright Vaclav Havel, died Friday. He is best known for his role in the movie, "Closely Watched Trains." Martin Sterba, Rene Fluger/AP Photo

Celebrities who have died

Oct. 9, 2014:Jan Hooks as Verna in season 4 of the television series, "30 Rock." Hooks, the former "Saturday Night Live" cast member has died. She was 57. Hooks died Thursday according to her agent Lisa Lieberman. Ali Goldstein/NBCU Photo Bank/AP Photo

Celebrities who have died

Oct. 6, 2014: Marian Seldes arrives at the opening night performance of the Broadway musical "American Idiot" in New York on April 20, 2010. Seldes, the Tony Award-winning star of "A Delicate Balance" who was a teacher of Kevin Kline and Robin Williams, a muse to playwright Edward Albee and a Guinness Book of World Records holder for most consecutive performances, died Monday at age 86. Charles Sykes/AP Photo

Celebrities who have died

<p-bottom:>October 5, 2014:James Bond villain Geoffrey Holder has died.The Trinidadian actor, who was best known for his role as Baron Samedi 007 film 'Live and Let Die' passed away on Sunday at age 84.</p-bottom:> Bang Showbiz

Celebrities who have died

Sept. 24, 2014: Veteran CBS New York reporter John Slattery is shown. Slattery, who won four Emmy Awards and reported from places like Saudi Arabia, Ireland and the Vatican, has died unexpectedly overnight, the network announced on Thursday, Sept. 25, 2014. Slattery was 63 years old. WCBS-TV/AP Photo

Celebrities who have died

Sept. 22, 2014: Skip E. Lowe, the comic, raconteur and perennial TV host whose weekly public access cable program has been airing in Los Angeles, New York and other major markets for more than 35 years--the longest in television history--and is generally credited as the inspiration for the Martin Short character “Jiminy Glick,” died in his home in Los Angeles' Hollywood district on Monday. He was 85 and had been suffering from emphysema and other respiratory ailments, though he never smoked, but blamed years of working as a comic in smoke-infested nightclubs. Lowe had conducted more than 6,000 interviews, often two a week, with guests that included Orson Welles and Bette Davis. Skip E. Lowe Archives/AP Photo

Celebrities who have died

Sept. 20, 2014: George Sluizer on March 6, 2013. Sluizer, the Dutch filmmaker who directed River Phoenix's last movie, "Dark Blood," died at age 82. Organizers of the Netherlands Film Festival and the Berlin International Film Festival said Sluizer died Saturday "after a long illness," but did not specify the cause of death. Wilfredo Lee

Celebrities who have died

Sept. 20, 2014: Polly Bergen an Emmy-winning actress and singer, who in a long career played the terrorized wife in the original "Cape Fear" and the first woman president in "Kisses for My President," died Saturday at her home in Southbury, Conn., publicist Judy Katz said. She was 84.Polly Bergen of the film 'Struck by Lightning' visits the Tribeca Film Festival 2012 portrait studio at the Cadillac Tribeca Press Lounge on April 21, 2012 in New York City. Larry Busacca/Getty Images

Celebrities who have died

September 12, 2014: Jazz pianist Joe Sample, a founding member of the genre-crossing Jazz Crusaders who helped pioneer the electronic jazz-funk fusion style, has died at age 75. His manager, Patrick Rains, said that Sample died of complications due to lung cancer at the MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, with his family at his bedside. Martial Trezzini/AP Photo

Celebrities who have died

Sept. 12 2014: Donald Sinden in London on June 13, 1997. The British actor Donald Sinden has died at his home in Kent, England, of prostate cancer, his son says. He was 90. Marc Sinden said his father's varied career kept him so busy that he was only unemployed for five weeks in the period from 1942 to 2008. Sinden was known as a tremendously versatile actor who excelled at everything from Shakespeare's King Lear to TV sitcoms such as "Two's Company" and "Never the Twain." Michael StephensPA Wires/AP Photo

Celebrities who have died

Sept. 11, 2014: Cosimo Matassa poses in the press room with his Award for Musical Excellence during the 27th Annual Rock And Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony at Public Hall on April 14, 2012 in Cleveland, Ohio. Mike Coppola/Getty Images

Celebrities who have died

September 7, 2014: Yoshiko Yamaguchi, is seen in an April 1991 file photo. The tale of Yamaguchi, known in the older generation as "Rikoran," a wartime screen star, is told in a musical to remind Japanese of their disastrous militarist past. Yamaguchi, who symbolized Japan's dreams of Asian conquest, has died at age 94. Sadayuki Mikami/AP Photo

Celebrities who have died

Simone Battle of the band G.R.L. at The Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills, California on July 22, 2014. Battle was found dead in her West Hollywood, Calif., home Friday morning, Sept. 5, 2014. Battle gained notoriety through performances on the television show "X Factor," and her band G.R.L. had been signed by mega-hit maker Dr. Luke. The Los Angeles County Coroner's Department says an autopsy will be performed Sunday. Casey Curry/Invision/AP

Celebrities who have died

Sept. 4, 2014: Joan Rivers, the pioneering queen of comedy, who overcame tragedy and disappointment to transform herself in late life into a comic scourge of the red carpet, has died, according to her daughter, Melissa Rivers. She was 81. Brian Bowen Smith/E!

Celebrities who have died

Walter Mosely, left, Elinor R. Tatum, publisher and editor-in-chief of the Amsterdam News, center, and documentary filmmaker William Greaves attend the 80th anniversary celebration of Harlem's Schomburg Center at Jazz at Lincoln Center in New York on Oct. 6, 2006. Greaves, the Emmy-award winning producer and co-host of the groundbreaking "Black Journal" and a prolific and adventurous filmmaker whose subjects ranged from Muhammad Ali to the Harlem Renaissance to the black middle class, has died. He was 87. Rick Maiman/AP Photo

Celebrities who have died

British actor and Oscar-winning director Richard Attenborough, whose film career on both sides of the camera spanned 60 years, died on Sunday, Aug. 24, 2014. He was 90. Lefteris Pitarakis/AP Photo

Celebrities who have died

The Baroness Philippine de Rothschild, an energetic and self-certain grande dame of Bordeaux wine who halted an acting career to run vineyards owned by the family dynasty, has died, her company said Sunday Aug. 24, 2014. She was 80. ERIC RISBERG/AP Photo

Celebrities who have died

Aug. 18, 2014: Announcer Don Pardo on Sept. 25, 1982. Pardo, the durable television and radio announcer whose resonant voice-over style was widely imitated and became the standard in the field, died August 18 in Arizona at the age of 96. Al Levine/NBC/AP Photo

Celebrities who have died

August 11, 2014: Robin Williams was found dead in his California home Monday, a possible suicide, according to investigators. He was 63. Bang Showbiz

Celebrities who have died

Charles Keating posing with his award for outstanding lead actor in a drama series for his role in "Another World," during the 23rd Annual Daytime Emmy Awards in New York on May 22, 1996. Keating, 72, died Friday, Aug. 8, in Connecticut after a three-year battle with lung cancer, according to his son, Sean. Ron Frehm/Joe Tabacca/AP Photo

Celebrities who have died

August 7, 2014: A picture of Henry Stone. Stone who was a fixture on the R&B and Disco scenes, died at age 93. Henry Stone Music/Facebook

Celebrities who have died

Manny Roth, founder of the Greenwich Village club Café Wha?, died July 25, 2014. Roth, gave early breaks to such future superstars as Bob Dylan, Jimi Hendrix and Bruce Springsteen. Jodi Roth/AP Photo

Celebrities who have died

July 30, 2014: Anne and Robert Drew, left, join Ed Carter and Grace Guggenheim, right, during an event honoring him at the National Archives in Washington, D.C. The "cinema verite" technique and its pioneer, documentary filmmaker Robert Drew, were celebrated by the National Archives and Records Administration and Hollywood's Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences on April 27, 2007. Drew?s eldest son, Thatcher Drew, confirmed that the filmmaker died Wednesday morning at his home in Sharon, Conn. Neshan Naltchayan/AMPAS/AP Photo

Celebrities who have died

July 30, 2014: Robert Halmi, Sr., of "Tin Man," is seen during the NBC Press Tour in this July 17, 2007 file photo taken in Beverly Hills, California. Halmi died Wednesday in his New York City home at 90, said spokesman Russ Patrick. Nick Ut/AP Photo

Celebrities who have died

July 19, 2014: Centenarian jazz musician Lionel Ferbos has died at his home in New Orleans. He was 103. Family friend Regina Dillings says the trumpeter died Saturday morning surrounded by friends and family. Rick Diamond/Getty Images

Celebrities who have died

July 17, 2014: Elaine Stritch, an American actress and singer, best known for her roles on Broadway, died at age 89. Jason Kempin/Getty Images

Celebrities who have died

July 16, 2014: Texas blues icon Johnny Winter, who rose to fame in the late 1960s and '70s with his energetic performances and recordings that included producing his childhood hero Muddy Waters, died in Zurich, Switzerland at age 70. Bob Rossiter/The Repository/AP

Celebrities who have died

July 11, 2014: Tommy Ramone of The Ramones attends a screening and panel discussion of "Burning Down The House: The Story Of CBGB" during the 2009 Tribeca Film Festival at SVA Theater on April 30, 2009 in New York City. Amy Sussman/Getty Images

Celebrities who have died

Broadway and television casting director Barry Moss poses for a photograph. Moss, who helped cast nearly 90 Broadway and touring productions, including the 1980 revival of ?West Side Story,? ?Nine,? ?Torch Song Trilogy? and ?The Who's Tommy,? has died. He was 74. Mossed died June 17 of congestive heart failure at Mount Sinai Roosevelt in Manhattan, said his partner Bob Kale. Courtesy Merle Frimark Associates/AP Photo

Celebrities who have died

Walter Dean Myers tours his old Harlem neighborhood in New York on Dec. 13, 2010. Myers, a best-selling and prolific children's author and tireless champion of literacy and education, died Tuesday, July 1, 2014, after a brief illness, according to publisher HarperCollins. He was 76. Charles Sykes/AP Photo

Celebrities who have died

June 30, 2014: Paul Mazursky attends the 2014 Writers Guild Awards L.A. Ceremony at J.W. Marriott at L.A. Live on February 1, 2014 in Los Angeles, California. Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images

Celebrities who have died

Bobby Womack sits with his dogs, a French bull dog named Music, left, and a pug named Wo, posing for a portrait to promote a new album, "The Bravest Man in the Universe," in Los Angeles on June 22, 2012. Womack, 70, a colorful and highly influential R&B singer-songwriter who impacted artists from the Rolling Stones to Damon Albarn, has died. Womack's publicist Sonya Kolowrat confirmed to The Associated Press on Friday, June 27, 2014, that the singer died but had no other details to provide. Matt Sayles/Invision/AP Photo

Celebrities who have died

June 24, 2014: Eli Wallach speaks during the Museum of Tolerance International Film Festival Gala on November 14, 2010 in Los Angeles, California. Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images

Celebrities who have died

June 18, 2014: Neil Portnow, left, president of the Recording Academy, Horace Silver, center, and Dan Carlin, chairman of The Recording Academy, during the GRAMMY Salute to Jazz in Los Angeles on Feb. 8, 2005. Silver, a pianist, composer and band leader with a tireless inventiveness who influenced generations of jazzmen with his distinctive hard bop sound, died Wednesday. He was 85. Courtesy of The Recording Academy/AP Photo

Celebrities who have died

Daniel Keyes, author of 'Flowers for Algernon.' Aurea/Houghton Mifflin Harcourt

Celebrities who have died

June 15, 2014: Radio personality Casey Kasem at The 2003 Radio Music Awards. Kasem became the king of the top 40 countdown with a syndicated show that ran for decades. He died Sunday at age 82. Kevin Winter/Getty Images

Celebrities who have died

June 6, 2014: Children's author Eric Hill, whose effort to entertain his young son with a simple drawing of a mischievous dog named Spot blossomed into a popular series of children's books that have sold more than 60 million copies, has died at his home Friday in Central California. He was 86. Penguin Books/AP Photo

Celebrities who have died

June 11, 2014: Ruby Dee poses with the award for outstanding performance by a female actor in a supporting role for her work in "American Gangster" at the 14th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards, in Los Angeles on Jan. 27, 2008. Dee, an acclaimed actor and civil rights activist whose versatile career spanned stage, radio television and film, has died at age 91, according to her daughter. Nora Davis Day told The Associated Press on Thursday, that her mother died at home at New Rochelle, New York, on Wednesday night. Reed Saxon/AP Photo

Celebrities who have died

May 31, 2014: From left, Van Johnson, Linda Cristal, Martha Hyer, Hugh O'Brian, and Miiko Taka, on the terrace of the New Nile-Hilton hotel in Cairo, Egypt, during the hotel formal inauguration attended by President Nasser and by President Tito of Yugoslavia on Feb. 21, 1959. Hyer, an Oscar-nominated actress who starred alongside the likes of Frank Sinatra and Humphrey Bogart, has died. Raymond Lucero of Rivera Funeral Home says Hyer, 89, died in Santa Fe, N.M. AP File Photo

Celebrities who have died

June 5, 2014: A family spokeswoman says Davis, a longtime Detroit musician, producer, composer and business executive, has died at 75. Lisa Wilmore said Davis died Thursday in Michigan after a brief illness. She declined to say where he died. Donna Terek/ The Detriot News/AP Photo

Celebrities who have died

June 4, 2014: Doc Neeson, the charismatic frontman for the seminal Australian rock band the Angels, died from brain cancer on Wednesday. He was 67. Kristian Dowling/Getty Images

Celebrities who have died

May 28, 2014: Maya Angelou, who rose from poverty, segregation and the harshest of childhoods to become a force on stage, screen, the printed page and the inaugural dais, has died. She was 86. Angelou died Wednesday morning at her home in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. Tim Sloan/AFP/Getty Images

Celebrities who have died

Herb Jeffries, a singing cowboy hero of the silver screen, right, is congratulated by jazz great Gerald Wilson following dedication ceremonies for Jeffries' star on the Walk of Fame in the Hollywood section of Los Angeles, on his 93rd birthday Sept. 24, 2004. Herb Jeffries, the first African-American singing cowboy to appear in movies in the 1930s, died of heart failure Sunday, May 25, 2014, at a Los Angeles hospital. He was 100. Reed Saxon, AP Photo

Celebrities who have died

Photo originally released by Bunny Yeager, Yeager poses for a self portrait in Naples, Florida in the 1960. Yeager, a model turned photographer most famous for photographing Bettie Page in the 1950s, died Saturday, May 24, 2014, at a Delray Beach, Fla., hospice. She was 85 years old. Bunny Yeager/AP Photo

Celebrities who have died

Poet and novelist Sam Greenlee in Chicago on Nov. 8, 1973. Greenlee, who was best known for his 1969 novel "The Spook Who Sat by the Door," later adapted into a political drama movie, died Monday, May 19, 2014, in Chicago. He was 83. Sun-Times Media/(AP Photo

Celebrities who have died

May 13, 2014:Swedish Academy Award-winning documentary filmmaker Malik Bendjelloul on Dec. 18, 2012.Police in Sweden say the film director behind the Oscar-awarded music documentary "Searching for Sugarman," Malik Bendjelloul died Tuesday. He was 36. Police spokeswoman Pia Glenvik said Bendjelloul died in Stockholm late Tuesday, but wouldn't specify the cause of death. She said no crime is suspected in relation to the Swedish film maker's death. Anders Wiklund/AP Photo

Celebrities who have died

May 12, 2014: Swiss artist H.R. Giger is photographed at his house in Zurich, Switzerland in 1995. H.R. Giger, who designed the creature in Ridley Scott's sci-fi horror classic "Alien," has died at age 74 from injuries suffered in a fall. Sandra Mivelaz, administrator of the H.R. Giger museum in Chateau St. Germain told The Associated Press Tuesday May 13, 2014 that Giger had died in a hospital the day before. Giger received a 1979 Academy Award for special effects in 'Alen'. Martin Ruetschi/Keystone/AP Photo

Celebrities who have died

May 8, 2014: Nancy Malone attends the "She Made It: Women Creating Television and Radio" event held at The Paley Center For Media on December 6, 2007 in New York City. Veteran actress, director and producer Nancy Malone has died at age 79 in Los Angeles. Astrid Stawiarz/Getty Images

Celebrities who have died

May 2, 2014: Veteran actor Efrem Zimbalist, Jr., known for his starring roles in “77 Sunset Strip” and “The FBI,” stands outside his home, in this Feb. 16, 1982 file photo taken in Los Angeles, Calif. Zimbalist, the son of famous musicians who gained television stardom in the 1950s-60s hit "77 Sunset Strip" and later "The FBI," died Friday at his ranch in Solvang, Calif., at age 95. Wally Fong/AP Photo

Celebrities who have died

April 30, 2014: Director Nicholas Martin of "Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike" attends the 2013 Tony Awards Meet The Nominees Press Reception on May 1, 2013 in New York City. Mike Coppola/Getty Images

Celebrities who have died

April 29, 2014: "Mad" magazine Editor Al Feldstein, center, sits with Art Director John Putnam, left, and a freelancer named Jack, at the magazine's New York headquarters in 1972. Feldstein, whose 28 years at the helm of Mad transformed the satirical magazine into a pop culture institution, died Tuesday. He was 88. Jerry Mosey/AP Photo

Celebrities who have died

April 30, 2014: Bob Hoskins, whose varied career ranged from "Mona Lisa" to "Who Framed Roger Rabbit?" has died aged 71. A family statement released Wednesday by agent Clair Dobbs said Hoskins died in a hospital after a bout of pneumonia. In 2012 Hoskins announced that he had been diagnosed with Parkinson's disease and was retiring from acting. Bang Showbiz

Celebrities who have died

April 17, 2014: Colombian Nobel Literature laureate Gabriel Garcia Marquez Eduardo Verdugo/AP Photo

Celebrities who have died

April 14, 2014: Playwright, director and actor Phillip Hayes Dean Craig Schwartz/AP Photo

Celebrities who have died

April 17, 2014: Puerto Rican salsa legend Cheo Feliciano Frank Franklin II/AP Photo

Celebrities who have died

April 11, 2014: Songwriter Jesse Winchester Jamie Martin/AP Photo

Celebrities who have died

April 10, 2014: British comic author Sue Townsend Michael Crabtree/AP Photo

Celebrities who have died

April 6, 2014: Mickey Rooney AP Photo/Alex Brandon

Celebrities who have died

April 3, 2014: Music Director Emeritus of the Los Angeles Master Chorale, Paul Salamunovich Los Angeles Master Chorale/AP Photo

Celebrities who have died

April 3, 2014: Broadway actor Lawrence Hamilton Mike Wintroath/AP Photo

Celebrities who have died

March 21, 2014: Actor James Rebhorn Bryan Bedder/Getty Images

Celebrities who have died

March 17, 2014: Fashion designer and Mick Jagger's girlfriend L'Wren Scott. Bang Showbiz

Celebrities who have died

MArch 17, 2014: Arts and fashion patron Rachel "Bunny" Mellon (left) AP Photo

Celebrities who have died

March 15, 2014: Former TV chef Clarissa Dickson Wright Tim Walsh/AP Photo

Celebrities who have died

March 14, 2014: Associated Press reporter Bob Thomas Matt Sayles/AP Photo

Celebrities who have died

March 13, 2014: Production manager Abner E. Singer Jennifer Altman/Director's Guild of America/AP Photo

Celebrities who have died

March 13, 2014: Legendary voiceover artist Hal Douglas youtube.com/casimirn

Celebrities who have died

Feb. 19, 2014: Venezuelan folk musician Simon Diaz Bebeto Matthews/Associated Press

Celebrities who have died

This photo from the 1960s shows actress Mary Grace Canfield as handywoman Ralph Monroe 'Green Acres.' Phoebe Alexiades

Celebrities who have died

This June 5, 2010 file photo shows Bob Casale performing live at The 2010 KROQ Weenie Roast in Irvine, Calif. Casale, of the band Devo best known for the 1980s hit "Whip It," died Monday, Feb. 17, 2014, from conditions that led to heart failure, his brother and band member Gerald Casale said Tuesday. He was 61. Devo founder Gerald says in a statement his younger brother's death was "sudden" and "a total shock." Katy Winn/Associated Press

Celebrities who have died

Mavis Gallant, the Montreal-born writer who carved out an international reputation as a master short-story author while living in Paris for decades, died on Feb. 18 at age 91, her publisher said. Ian Barrett/The Canadian Press

Celebrities who have died

Pastor Jamie Coots has died of a snake bite. facebook.com/pastorcoots

Celebrities who have died

Ralph Waite, 85, who played the father in TV's hit series "The Waltons," has died. Waite's manager, Alan Mills, says the actor died midday Thursday, Feb. 13, 2014, in the Palm Springs area. Cliff Lipson/Associated Press

Celebrities who have died

Feb. 12, 2014: Innovative, influential comedy genius Sid Caesar, whose sketches lit up 1950s television with zany humor, has died at age 91. Dan MacMedan/USA Today

Celebrities who have died

Feb. 3, 2014: Richard Bull, left, and the actress Arngrim at a restaurant in Chicago. Bull played Nels Oleson and Arngrim played his daughter, Nellie Oleson, on the TV show, "Little House on the Prairie." The 89-year-old actor has died. Alison Arngrim/Associated Press

Celebrities who have died

Feb. 10, 2014: Shirley Temple, the dimpled, curly-haired child star who sang, danced, sobbed and grinned her way into the hearts of Depression-era moviegoers, died at age 85. File phots

Celebrities who have died

William "Bunny Rugs" Clarke facebook.com/ThirdWorld

Celebrities who have died

Philip Seymour Hoffman arrives for the Los Angeles premiere of 'The Hunger Games: Catching Fire' at the Nokia Theatre LA Live in Los Angeles, California, Nov. 18, 2013. Robyn Beck/AFP-Getty Images

Celebrities who have died

Jan. 27, 2014: Pete Seeger performing on stage during the Farm Aid 2013 concert at Saratoga Performing Arts Center in Saratoga Springs, N.Y. The American troubadour, folk singer and activist Seeger died at age 94. Hans Pennink/Associated Press

Celebrities who have died

Jan. 22, 2014: The legendary sports and entertainment attorney, Ed Hookstratten, whose clients included Elvis Presley, Dan Rowan and Dick Martin, Joey Bishop, and Johnny Carson, died at age 83. Hookstratten family/Associated Press

Celebrities who have died

Jan. 18, 2014: Roy Garber, a popular cast member of the reality show Shipping Wars, has died. Variety and TMZ report the 49-year-old had a heart attack. Ian Spanier Photography

Celebrities who have died

Jan. 16, 2014: Comic actor Dave Madden, who played the child-hating agent on the hit 1970s sitcom "The Partridge Family," died in Florida at age 82. ABC

Celebrities who have died

Jan. 16, 2014: Ruth Duccini arrives at the world premiere of "Wizard of Oz" 3D at the TCL Chinese Theatre, in Los Angeles on Sept. 15, 2013. Ruth Robinson Duccini, one of the original Munchkins from the 1939 movie "The Wizard of Oz," has died. She was 95. Kevin Winter/Getty Images

Celebrities who have died

Jan. 15, 2014: British actor Roger Lloyd-Pack who was best known for playing dim-witted street-sweeper Trigger on the sitcom "Only Fools and Horses," has died at the age of 69. Agent Maureen Vincent said the actor had been suffering from pancreatic cancer and died at his home in London. Ian West/Associated Press

Celebrities who have died

Poet and social activist Amiri Baraka speaking during the Black Political Convention in Gary, Ind., on March 12, 1972. Baraka, a Beat poet, black nationalist and Marxist revolutionary known for his blues-based, fist-shaking manifestos, died on Jan. 9, 2014, at Newark Beth Israel Medical Center in Newark, N.J., at age 79. Julian C. Wilson/Associated Press

Celebrities who have died

Jan. 5, 2014: Zapata died at her Los Angeles home, surrounded by family and friends. She was 86. Her death was announced on Jan. 7, by Luis Vela at the Bilingual Foundation of the Arts, a Los Angeles organization that Zapata founded. Zapata started her career in 1945 in the Broadway musical "Oklahoma" and went on to perform in "Bells Are Ringing," "Guys and Dolls" and many plays. Her movie credits include "Sister Act," "Gang Boys" and "Carola," as well as dozens of television series. Bob Freeman/Hollywood Chamber of Commerce/Associated Press

Celebrities who have died

Jan. 7, 2014: Pioneering Hong Kong movie producer Run Run Shaw has died at the age of 107. No cause of death was given in a statement from Television Broadcasts Limited (TVB), which Shaw helped found in 1967. Kin Cheung/Associated Press

Celebrities who have died

January 3, 2014: Musician Phil Everly, left, the younger half of The Everly Brothers, died of complications from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in Burbank Calif. He was 74 years old. David Redfern/Redferns

Celebrities who have died

Jan. 2, 2014: Elizabeth Jane Howard, whose saga of a wealthy English family living in the shadow of war enchanted readers a generation ahead of "Downton Abbey," died at age 90. Associated Press

Celebrities who have died

Jan. 1, 2014: Juanita Moore, a groundbreaking actress and an Academy Award nominee for her role as Lana Turner's friend in the classic weeper Imitation of Life, has died at 99. Associated Press

Celebrities who have died

Dec. 31, 2013: In this April 29, 1996, file photo, longtime conservative radio host Bob Grant speaks on the air at WOR-AM in New York. Grant died at the age of 84, in Hilllsborough, N.J., after a short illness according to New York radio station WABC. Kathy Willens/Associated Press

Celebrities who have died

James Avery, who played Will Smith's Uncle Phil on the Fresh Prince of Bel Air, has died. He was 65. Mathew Imaging FilmMagic

Celebrities who have died

Film, television and stage actor Joseph Ruskin has died of natural causes at the age of 89. File photo

Celebrities who have died

Dec. 27 2013: The celebrated French tightrope walker Henri Rechatin, who balanced above high the Alps, the Grand Canyon and Niagara Falls, has died at age 82. Associated Press

Celebrities who have died

Dec. 27, 2013: Farooq Shaikh, the plump unlikely hero of scores of Bollywood films, has died. He was 65. Press Trust of India reported that Shaikh suffered a heart attack in Dubai, where he was visiting with his family. Sunil Khandare/Associated Press

Celebrities who have died

Dec. 24, 2013: Ricky Lawson is photographed in Kansas City, Mo. on Feb. 23, 1988. Studio drummer Lawson, a collaborator with musicians including Michael Jackson, Eric Clapton, Phil Collins and Whitney Houston, died at a suburban Los Angeles hospital following a brain aneurism. He was 59. Steven R. Nickerson/Detroit Free Press/Associated Press

Celebrities who have died

Dec. 19, 2013: Al Goldstein, the publisher of Screw magazine, has died in New York after a long illness. Attorney Charles C. DeStefano says Goldstein died at a hospice in Brooklyn. Al Goldstein/Facebook

Celebrities who have died

British actor Peter O'Toole arrives for the British premiere of his latest film 'Venus' at a central London cinema, Peter O'Toole, the charismatic actor who achieved instant stardom as Lawrence of Arabia and was nominated eight times for an Academy Award, has died, it was announced on Dec. 15, 2013. He was 81. Lefteris Pitarakis/Associated Press

Celebrities who have died

Dec. 2, 2013: Christopher Evan Welch, the actor whose roles on New York stages led to a series of film and television roles, including a regular spot on AMC's "Rubicon," has died in Southern California. He was 48 and had been diagnosed with lung cancer. Henry S. Dziekan III/Getty Images

Celebrities who have died

Dec. 10, 2013: Jim Hall, one of the leading jazz guitarists of the modern era, whose subtle technique, lyrical sound and introspective approach strongly influenced younger proteges such as Pat Metheny and Bill Frisell, died at age 83, his wife said. Eric Risberg/Associated Press

Celebrities who have died

Dec. 9, 2013: Actress Eleanor Parker visits Palm Mallorca, while in in town trying to purchase a villa in Spain on Feb. 28, 1967. Parker, a three-time Oscar nominee who played the scheming baroness in "The Sound of Music," has died at age 91. Associated Press

Celebrities who have died

'La Cage aux Folles' director Edouard Molinaro died at 85. Associated Press

Celebrities who have died

Former South African President Nelson Mandela, seen here in 2005, has died. He was 95. Associated Press

Celebrities who have died

Paul Walker, the star of the "Fast & Furious" movie series, died in a car crash north of Los Angeles. He was 40. Ernesto Ruscio/Getty Images

Celebrities who have died

Nov. 29, 2013: The former New York Observer editor who hired a then-unknown Candace Bushnell to write a column called "Sex and the City" has died. Peter Kaplan was 59. Paul Morigi/Getty Images

Celebrities who have died

Nov. 28, 2013: Elwood died unexpectedly on Thanksgiving morning, said his owner, Karen Quigley of Sewell,Calif. She said Elwood had been dealing with some heath issues in recent months but appeared to be doing well. Ben Margot/Associated Press

Celebrities who have died

This June 22, 2004 file photo shows Chico Hamilton, a recipient of the he National Endowment for the Arts Jazz Masters Fellowship, performing a drum solo in the East Room of the White House during a reception to honor Black Music Month, in Washington. Hamilton, a distiguished jazz drummer, band leader and composer known for inspiring fellow and aspiring musicians, died on Nov. 25, 2013, in New York. He was 92. Susan Walsh/Associated Press

Celebrities who have died

Nov. 23, 2013: French film director Georges Lautner as he arrives for the screening of The Paperboy at the 65th international film festival, in Cannes, southern France on May 24, 2012. Lautner died at age 87. Francois Mori/Associated Press

Celebrities who have died

Nov. 20, 2013: The renowned psychic Sylvia Browne died at a hospital in northern California, according to a message posted on her website. Facebook

Celebrities who have died

Diane Disney Miller, Walt Disney's daughter and one of his inspirations for building the Disneyland theme park, has died at her Northern California home. She was 79. Marsaili McGrath/Getty Images

Celebrities who have died

The author of the screenplay manual that inspired James Cameron and Judd Apatow to make movies has died. A spokesman for Syd Field says the author died of a blood disorder at his home in Beverly Hills, Calif. He was 77. Random House/Associated Press

Celebrities who have died

Nov. 13, 2013: Actress Barbara Lawrence, who played Gertie Cummings in the 1955 movie Oklahoma!, has died. She was 83. Her daughter-in-law, Christy Nelson, said the actress died of kidney failure. The Criterion Collection

Celebrities who have died

Nov. 1, 2013: Editta Sherman poses for a photo at the "25 CPW Gallery" in New York on July 9, 2012. Sherman, a photographer who in six decades of work made portraits of musicians, actors, sports stars, dancers and writers, died in her sleep on Nov. 1, 2013. She was 101. PHOTO BY: Verena Dobnik/AP Photo

Celebrities who have died

Nov. 5, 2013: Award-winning chef Charlie Trotter has died. He is here seen during an interview with The Associated Press at his restaurant in Chicago on Aug. 28, 2012. Sitthixay Ditthavong/Associated Press

Celebrities who have died

Canadian tightrope walker Jay Cochrane, who set two world records including one in 1972 for walking back and forth 2.5 miles (4 kilometers) above the Canadian National Exhibition, has died, according to his website. Cochrane died in Niagara Falls, Ontario, at age 69 of pancreatic cancer, according to a tribute to Cochrane dubbed "The Prince of the Air." PHOTO BY: Mark Phillips/AFP/Getty Images Mark Phillips/AFP-Getty Images

Celebrities who have died

Oct. 27, 2013: Punk-poet, rock legend Lou Reed died at age 71 of liver-related ailment. Carlos Alvarez/Getty Images

Celebrities who have died

Oct. 25, 2013: Marcia Wallace, who was the voice of scoffing schoolteacher Edna Krabappel on "The Simpsons" and played wisecracking receptionist Carol on "The Bob Newhart Show" in the 1970s, has died. She was 70. Angela Weiss/Getty Images

Celebrities who have died

October 25, 2013: Hal Needham, a former military paratrooper who later became one of Hollywood's top stuntmen and a film director, has died in Los Angeles at the age of 82 after a short bout with cancer. Valerie Macon/Getty Images

Celebrities who have died

October 22, 2013: British actor and musician Noel Harrison, and his bride, Sara Tufnell, at the register office after their wedding at Caxton Hall, Westminster, London, on March 22, 1959. Noel Harrison, who sang the Academy Award-winning ballad "The Windmills of Your Mind," has died at 79. Associated Press

Celebrities who have died

Oct. 17, 2013: Kumar Pallana, an Indian character actor with bit parts in movies such as "The Terminal" and "The Royal Tennenbaums," has died. He was 94. Kevin Winter/Getty Images

Celebrities who have died

Oct. 16, 2013: Veteran character actor Ed Lauter, whose long, angular face and stern bearing made him an instantly recognizable figure in scores of movies and TV shows during a career that stretched across five decades, has died. He was 74. Jason Merritt/Getty Images

Celebrities who have died

October 10, 2013: Astronaut Scott Carpenter, the second American to orbit the Earth and first person to explore both the heights of space and depths of the ocean, died after a stroke. He was 88. Todd Plitt

Celebrities who have died

October 9, 2013: Former underworld figure Mark "Chopper" Read poses for a photo during a launch his book "Hooky the Cripple" in Sydney, Australia. Read, one of Australia's most notorious and colorful crime figures, died after a long battle with liver cancer, his manager said. He was 58. Dean Lewins/AAP Image/Associated Press

Celebrities who have died

October 8, 2013: Phil Chevron, the guitarist for boisterous Anglo-Irish band The Pogues, has died at 56. Pogues manager Mark Addis says Chevron, whose real name was Philip Ryan, died in Dublin after being treated for head and neck cancer. Mike Coppola/Getty Images

Celebrities who have died

October 1, 2013: Author Tom Clancy died at Johns Hopkins in Baltimore after a "brief illness." He was 66. Brendan Smialowski/Getty Images

Celebrities who have died

A.C. Lyles attends his Birthday Party at Musso & Frank on May 17, 2013 in Hollywood, Calif. Araya Diaz/Getty Images

Celebrities who have died

Sept. 18, 2013: The March 18, 2009, file photo shows journalist Marcel Reich-Ranicki posing for a portrait prior to the screening of the film "Marcel Reich-Ranicki: Mein Leben (My Life)" in Cologne, Germany. Reich-Ranicki, who grew up in Poland and Nazi Germany, survived the Warsaw Ghetto and became post-war Germany's best-known literary critic died at age 93. Hermann J. Knippertz/Associated Press

Celebrities who have died

Sept. 8, 2013: Auto dealer Cal Worthington tapes a commercial in Los Angeles on 1985. Worthington, who built a fortune from a series of West Coast car dealerships and became a TV fixture thanks to commercials urging customers to "go see Cal," died at age 92. Los Angeles Times

Celebrities who have died

August 30, 2013: Nobel prize-winning poet Seamus Heaney stands before a large glass panel listing all the benfactors before the offical opening of Queens Unversity's new McClay Library, Belfast on July 6, 2010. Nobel Laureate Heaney has died at the age of 74. Paul McErlane/AFP-Getty Images

Celebrities who have died

Aug. 21, 2013: Lew Wood from the NBC News "Today" show in New York in the 1970s. Wood, a veteran broadcast journalist who covered the 1963 assassination of John F. Kennedy for CBS and later anchored the news report for NBC's "Today" show, died at a hospice in Riverside County, Calif. He was 84. NBC/Associated Press

Celebrities who have died

Aug. 20, 2013: Marian McPartland smiles while playing the piano during a celebration of her 90th birthday in New York on March 19, 2008. McPartland, 95, the legendary jazz pianist and host of the National Public Radio show "Piano Jazz," died of natural causes at her Port Washington home on Long Island. Seth Wenig/Associated Press

Celebrities who have died

Aug. 19, 2013: Lee Thompson Young started his career as a teenager in the TV series "The Famous Jett Jackson" and was co-starring in the series "Rizzoli & Isles." The actor, who committed suicide, was 29. TNT

Celebrities who have died

August 14, 2013: "That '70s Show" actress Lisa Robin Kelly has died at age 43. Manager Craig Wyckoff says Kelly died at a Los Angeles addiction treatment facility. Courtesy of Fox/Newsy

Celebrities who have died

August, 14, 2013: Gia Allemand, who was the girlfriend of NBA Pelicans player Ryan Anderson and appeared on ABC's "The Bachelor" and "Bachelor Pad," has died. She was 29. Joe Corrigan/Getty Images

Celebrities who have died

Aug. 13, 2013: Jon Brookes, the drummer of the British band, The Charlatans on Nov. 11, 2001. Brookes has died. He was 44 and had been treated for brain cancer. Myung Jung Kim/PA/Associated Press

Celebrities who have died

August 5, 2013: Jazz musician George Duke died in Los Angeles at age 67. A pioneer in the funk and R&B genres, he had been battling chronic lymphocytic leukemia, according to his label Concord Music Group, which confirmed his death. David Redfern/Redferns

Celebrities who have died

Aug. 3, 2013: John Palmer attends the "Today" show 60th anniversary celebration at the Edison Ballroom in New York on Jan. 12, 2012. Palmer, a veteran reporter for NBC News over a span of 40 years, died at George Washington University Hospital of pulmonary fibrosis. He was 77. Evan Agostini/Associated Press

Celebrities who have died

USA Today music critic Steve Jones at his desk in McLean, Va., on Dec. 13, 2011. Jones, died at age 57. H. Darr Beiser/USA Today

Celebrities who have died

July 31, 2013: Michael Ansara on location for the TV series, "Law of the Plainsman." Ansara died at his home in California after a long illness. He was 91. Associated Press

Celebrities who have died

July 28, 2013: Brennan Eileen in Los Angeles on March 20, 1982. Brennan's manager, Kim Vasilakis, says Brennan, who is best known for playing Capt. Doreen Lewis in "Private Benjamin," died in Burbank, Calif., after a battle with bladder cancer. She was 80. Douglas C. Pizac/Associated Press

Celebrities who have died

July 24, 2013: Johnson, half of the renowned Masters and Johnson team, was remembered as one of the key figures in the sexual revolution. Johnson, whose legal name was Virginia Masters, died of complications from several illnesses at an assisted living center in St. Louis. She was 88. James A. Finley/Associated Press

Celebrities who have died

July 22, 2013: Dennis Farina arrives at the premiere for the HBO television series "Luck" in Los Angeles on Jan. 25, 2012. Farina died suddenly in Scottsdale, Ariz., after suffering a blood clot in his lung. He was 69. Matt Sayles/Associated Press

Celebrities who have died

July 14, 2013: Monteith, who shot to fame in the hit TV series "Glee" but was beset by addiction struggles so fierce that he once said he was lucky to be alive, was found dead in a Vancouver hotel room, police said. He was 31. Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP Photo

Celebrities who have died

July 9, 2013: In an April 18, 2012, photo Country Music Hall of Famer Jim Foglesong, longtime country music executive and producer, is sits in his garden in Nashville. Foglesong, who helped launch Garth Brooks' career, died at age 90. John Partipilo/The Tennessean/Associated Press

Celebrities who have died

July 8, 2013: Historian Edmund S. Morgan poses in the living room of his home in New Haven, Conn on July 10, 2002. Morgan, a leading scholar of the colonial era who helped reinvigorate the reputations of the founding fathers, probed the country's racial and religious origins and, in his 80s, wrote a best-selling biography of Benjamin Franklin, died at Yale-New Haven Hospital, where he was being treated for pneumonia, his wife Marie said. He was 97. Bob Child/Associated Press

Celebrities who have died

June 29, 2013: Jim Kelly as Williams in a scene from "Enter the Dragon," in 1973. Kelly, who played a glib American martial artist in "Enter the Dragon" with Bruce Lee, died of cancer at his home in San Diego. He was 67. Sporting an Afro hairstyle and sideburns, Kelly made a splash with his one-liners and fight scenes in the 1973 martial arts classic. Warner Bros. Entertainment/Associated Press

Celebrities who have died

June 24, 2013: Alan Myers, the former longtime drummer for the band Devo, best known for "Whip It," has died after a battle with brain cancer. He was 58. Janet Macoska/Devo Inc./Associated Press

Celebrities who have died

June 23, 2013: Richard Matheson, the prolific sci-fi and fantasy writer whose "I Am Legend" and "The Shrinking Man" were transformed into films, has died. He was 87. Beatrice de Gea/Los Angeles Times/Associated Press

Celebrities who have died

June 22, 2013: Gary David Goldberg, who created the 1980s sitcom hit "Family Ties" and expanded into feature films, has died. Goldberg died of brain cancer in Montecito, Calif., days before his 69th birthday. Richard Drew/Associated Press

Celebrities who have died

June 23, 2013: Bobby "Blue" Bland, a distinguished singer who blended Southern blues and soul in songs such as "Turn on Your Love Light" and "Further On Up the Road," has died . He was 83. Mark Lennihan/Associated Press

Celebrities who have died

June 19, 2013: James Gandolfini, who personified the New Jersey mobster in HBO's acclaimed series "The Sopranos," died on June 19, 2013, apparently of a heart attack, while on vacation in Rome, the network said. He was 51. Richard Shotwell/Invision/Associated Press

Celebrities who have died

June 19, 2013: Country singer Slim Whitman, the high-pitched yodeler who sold millions of records through ever-present TV ads in the 1980s and 1990s and whose song saved the world in the film comedy "Mars Attacks!," died at a Florida hospital. He was 90. Liberty Records

Celebrities who have died

June 18, 2013: Best-selling author Vince Flynn poses with the dust jacket of his new book, "Consent to Kill," and copies of his six other books in his home in Edina, Minn on Sept. 2, 2005. Flynn died after a two-year battle with prostate cancer. He was 47. Jim Mone/Associated Press

Celebrities who have died

Week of June 8-15, 2013: Albert White Hat died at age of 74 after battling cancer. White Hat was instrumental in teaching Lakota, an endangered American Indian language, to new generations for nearly four decades. Sinte Gleska University/Associated Press

Celebrities who have died

June 9, 2013: Author Iain Banks at a function in London on April 7, 2004. Iain Banks' publisher says that the Scottish writer has died after falling ill with cancer. Banks was known for his general fiction and science fiction, the latter written under the name Iain M. Banks. Banks published his first novel "The Wasp Factory" in 1984. His first science fiction novel, "Consider Phlebas," was published in 1987. Yui Mok/PA/Associated Press

Celebrities who have died

June 4, 2013 : In an April 1, 2010, photo Ben Tucker performs for his 80th Birthday Celebration at the Charles H. Morris Center in Savannah Ga. during the Savannah Music Festival. Tucker, a Savannah jazz legend, died on Hutchinson Island when the golf cart he was in was struck by a car. Richard Burkhart/The Morning News/Associated Press

Celebrities who have died

June 3, 2013: This 1963 file photo shows David Deacon Jones. Jones, a Hall of Fame American football defensive end credited with terming the word sack for how he knocked down quarterbacks, has died. He was 74. The Washington Redskins said that Jones died Monday night of natural causes at his home in Southern California. Associated Press

Celebrities who have died

June 2, 2013: Rob Morsberger, a singer-songwriter who had been working on a documentary about living with terminal brain cancer, died at age 53. He had been diagnosed with grade 4 Glioblastoma in Sept. 2011. Tim Robinson

Celebrities who have died

May 31, 2013: Jean Stapleton speaks during an interview in Washington on March 3, 1977. Stapleton, who played Edith Bunker in the groundbreaking 1970s TV comedy "All in the Family," has died. She was 90. John Putch said on June 1, 2013 that his mother died Friday of natural causes at her New York City home surrounded by friends and family. Jeff Taylor/Associated Press

Celebrities who have died

May 29, 2013: Rev. Andrew Greeley, an outspoken Roman Catholic priest, prolific best-selling novelist and Chicago newspaper columnist whose career spanned five decades. His longtime publicist said that Greeley died at his home in Chicago. He was 85. Associated Press

Celebrities who have died

May 26, 2013: Jack Vance, an award-winning mystery, fantasy and science fiction author who wrote more than 60 books, has died. He was 96. Vance died at his home in Oakland. Spatterlight Press LLC

Celebrities who have died

May 26, 2013: Clarence Burke Jr., lead singer of the group the Five Stairsteps that sang the 1970 hit "O-o-h Child," has died. He was 64. Burke died a day after his birthday in Marietta, Ga., where he lived, said Joe Marno, his friend and manager. Courtesy of www.facebook.com/clarenceburkejr

Celebrities who have died

May 21, 2013: Mack Emerman, owner of Criteria Studios in Miami points out one of the multitude of control knobs on a recording console on March 16, 1979. Emerman's studio recorded such artists as the Bee Gees, Eric Clapton, Andy Gibb and Dave Mason. Emerman family confirmed his death after a long illness. He was 89. Adam Taylor/ABC

Celebrities who have died

Martin Lewis, center, with original Comets, from left, Joe D'Ambrosio, Johnny Grande, Dick Richards, Franny Beecher and Marshall Lytle attend a special screening of "Blackboard Jungle" to kick off a series of "Rock is Fifty" events at the MoMA on March 20, 2005, in New York City. Peter Kramer/Getty Images

Celebrities who have died

May 20, 2013: Ray Manzarek of the Doors performs at the Sunset Strip Music Festival launch party celebrating the Doors at the House of Blues in West Hollywood, Calif., on Aug. 16, 2012. Manzarek, the keyboardist who was a founding member of the Doors, has died at 74. Publicist Heidi Robinson-Fitzgerald says in a news release that Manzarek died at the RoMed Clinic in Rosenheim, Germany. Chris Pizzello/Invision/Associated Press

Celebrities who have died

May 16, 2013: Bernard Waber, the author of such children's favorites as "The House on East 88th Street" and "Lyle, Lyle Crocodile," has died. Publisher Houghton Mifflin Harcourt announced that Waber died at his Long Island home after a long illness. He was 91. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt/Associated Press

Celebrities who have died

May 13, 2013: In this Sept. 1, 1987, file photo, Dr. Joyce Brothers takes a break from a busy schedule in Los Angeles to talk about her upcoming television series, "The Psychology Behind the News." Brothers died in New York City, according to publicist Sanford Brokaw. She was 85. Nick Ut/AP Photo

Celebrities who have died

May 9, 2013: Ottavio Missoni attends Missoni Loves Leaves cocktail party during the Milan Design Week on April 16, 2012, in Milan, Italy. Ottavio Missoni, founder of a family fashion dynasty known for a zigzag pattern, died at his home in northern Italy. He was 92. Pier Marco Tacca/Getty Images

Celebrities who have died

May 8, 2013: In this June 27, 2010, file photo, Jeanne Cooper arrives at the 37th Annual Daytime Emmy Awards at Las Vegas Hilton in Las Vegas. Cooper died in her sleep, her son the actor Corbin Bernsen wrote on Facebook. Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP Photo

Celebrities who have died

May 7, 2013: Special effects creator Ray Harryhausen poses for photographs with an enlarged model of Medusa from his 1981 film 'Clash of the Titans' at the Myths and Legends Exhibition at the London Film Museum on June 29, 2010, in London, England. Harryhausen died in London at the age of 92. His family announced his death via The Ray and Diana Harryhausen Foundation Facebook page. Peter Macdiarmid/Getty Images

Celebrities who have died

May 4, 2013: This 1939 file photo supplied by Geller/Goldfine Productions shows Frederic Franklin, top, George Zoritch, center, and the Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo in their production of "Rouge et Noir," which was choreographed by Leonide Massine. Franklin died in New York. He was 98. Geller/Goldfine Productions/Associated Press

Celebrities who have died

May 2, 2013: Musician Jeff Hanneman of Slayer performs onstage during The Big 4 held at the Empire Polo Club on April 23, 2011, in Indio, Calif. Hanneman, 49, a founding member of the heavy metal band Slayer, has died. Slayer spokeswoman Heidi Robinson-Fitzgerald says Hanneman died of liver failure at a Los Angeles hospital with his wife, Kathy, by his side. Kevin Winter/Getty Images

Celebrities who have died

In this February photo, Chris Kelly of Kris Kross performs in Atlanta during the So So Def 20th Anniversary Concert. Kelly, half of the 1990s kid rap duo Kris Kross who made one of the decade's most memorable songs with the frenetic "Jump," died May 1, 2013. Associated Press

Celebrities who have died

April 20, 2013: This 1937 file photo shows singer and film actress Deanna Durbin. Durbin, the internationally famous child star from Hollywood's Golden Age who brought her pure soprano voice and natural, girl-next-door looks to nearly 30 movies, died in April. Family friend Bob Koster, whose father directed six of Durbin's films, tells the Associated Press that she died at age 91 in a village outside Paris. Associated Press

Celebrities who have died

April 28, 2013: Grammy Award-winning cellist Janos Starker has died after months of declining health. He was 88. Alain Barker, a spokesman for the Jacobs School of Music at Indiana University, said Starker died at his Bloomington home in the presence of family members. Courtesy of www.facebook.com/pages/Janos-Starker/191995540921612

Celebrities who have died

April 27, 2013: Prominent feminist Mary Thom, a writer and former editor of Ms. magazine who also was an avid motorcyclist, crashed while riding on a highway and was killed, her nephew said. She was 68. Associated Press/Women's Media Center

Celebrities who have died

April 26, 2013: George Jones, the peerless, hard-living country singer who recorded dozens of hits about good times and regrets and peaked with the heartbreaking classic "He Stopped Loving Her Today," has died. He was 81. Jones died at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville, according to his publicist Kirt Webster. Rick Diamond/Getty Images

Celebrities who have died

April 19, 2013: Allan Arbus, left, known to many of us at the psychiatrist Maj. Sidney Freedman from M*A*S*H, has died at age 95. The actor, who was married to photographer Diane Arbus, died at his home in Los Angeles. 20th Century Fox/The Kobal Collection

Celebrities who have died

Chrissy Amphlett, the raunchy lead singer of the Australian rock band Divinyls whose hit "I Touch Myself" brought her international fame in the early 1990s, died at her home in New York City on April 21, 2013. She was 53 years old. Mark Baker/Associated Press

Celebrities who have died

April 22, 2013: Richie Havens, who sang and strummed for a sea of people at Woodstock, has died at 72. His family says in a statement that Havens died of a heart attack. Jeff Christensen/Associated Press

Celebrities who have died

April 18, 2013: Graphic designer Storm Thorgerson standing next to his album cover artwork for Pink Floyd's "The Dark Side of the Moon" during the opening of his exhibition 'Mind Over Matter: The Images of Pink Floyd' in London. Storm Thorgerson whose eye-catching Pink Floyd and Led Zeppelin album covers captured the spirit of 1970s psychedelia, has died. He was 69. In a statement, Thorgerson's family said he had died and that "his ending was peaceful and he was surrounded by family and friends." Yui Mok/PA/Associated Press

Celebrities who have died

April 16, 2013: In this Jan. 13, 2009, file photo, George Beverly Shea talks at his home in Montreat, N.C. George Beverly Shea, the booming baritone who sang to millions of Christians at evangelist Billy Graham's crusades, died after a brief illness. He was 104. Chuck Burton/Associated Press

Celebrities who have died

April 16, 2013: Richard LeParmentier, who as a young Death Star commander learned the hard way that Darth Vader brooks no disrespect, died at age 66. Coolwaters Productions/Associated Press

Celebrities who have died

April 13, 2013: In this Sept. 27, 2007, file photo, seated, from left, Jerry Mathers, Barbara Billingsley and Tony Dow, and, standing from left, Frank Bank and Ken Osmond, pose for a photo as they are reunited to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the television show, "Leave it to Beaver," in Santa Monica, Calif. Bank, who played oafish troublemaker Lumpy on the sitcom "Leave It to Beaver," has died at age 71. Damian Dovarganes/Associated Press

Celebrities who have died

April 16, 2013: Pat Summerall, the NFL player-turned-broadcaster whose deep, resonate voice called games for more than 40 years, has died at the age of 82. Ronald Martinez/Getty Images

Celebrities who have died

April 11, 2013: The dance world mourned the death of New York City Ballet prima ballerina Maria Tallchief at age 88. Associated Press

Celebrities who have died

April 11, 2013: Comedian Jonathan Winters, whose breakneck improvisations inspired Robin Williams, Jim Carrey and many others, has died at age 87. Longtime family friend Joe Petro III says Winters died at his Montecito, Calif., home of natural causes. Charley Gallay/Getty Images

Celebrities who have died

April 7, 2013: Sound engineer and producer, Andy Johns, who worked with Led Zeppelin, Van Halen and the Rolling Stones. Johns' family says he died Los Angeles after a brief hospital stay to treat complications from a stomach ulcer. He was 62. Penny Rosen/Slate PR/Associated Press

Celebrities who have died

April 8, 2013: Actress and former Mickey Mouse Club member Annette Funicello, also known for her beach movies with Frankie Avalon, has died at age 70. J. Scott Applewhite/Associated Press

Celebrities who have died

April 7, 2013: Les Blank, an acclaimed documentary filmmaker who focused his camera on cultural corners ranging from blues music, to garlic lovers, to shoe-eating artists, died at age 77. Blank died at his home in Berkeley, Calif., nearly a year after being diagnosed with bladder cancer. Harrod Blank/Associated Press

Celebrities who have died

April 4, 2013: Roger Ebert, legendary Pulitzer Prize-winning film critic known for his thumbs up, thumbs down reviews, died at 70. Matt Sayles/Associated Press

Celebrities who have died

April 3, 2013: Oscar-winning screenwriter and award-winning novelist Ruth Prawer Jhabvala has died. She was 85. Firoza Jhabvala said that her mother died in New York after a long illness. Ruth Prawer Jhabvala was a longtime member of Merchant Ivory Productions, writing 22 films over four decades. She won two Academy Awards for her adaptations of the E.M. Forster novels "Howards End" and "A Room With a View." PHOTO BY: Getty Images Evan Agostini/Getty Images

Celebrities who have died

April 2, 2013: Jane Henson, right, with Jim Henson and the cast of Sam and Friends, in Washington. Jane Henson died in her Connecticut home after a long battle with cancer. The Jim Henson Company/Del Ankers/Associated Press

Celebrities who have died

April 1, 2013: Shain Gandee, from MTV's "Buckwild" reality series in New York. Gandee was found dead in a sport utility vehicle in a ditch along with his uncle and a third, unidentified person, authorities said. Kanawha County Sheriff's Department Cpl. B.D. Humphreys said the bodies of cast member, Shain Gandee, 21, his uncle David Gandee, 48, and the third person were found near Sissonville. Amy Sussman/Invision/Associated Press

Celebrities who have died

March 28, 2013: Newsman Bob Teague, a former news anchor, reporter and producer and one of New York City's first black television journalists, has died. He was 84. Teague's widow, Jan, told The New York Times that he suffered from T-cell lymphoma. WNBC-TV/Associated Press

Celebrities who have died

March 28, 2013: Richard Griffiths, the British actor who played the boy wizard's unsympathetic Uncle Vernon in the "Harry Potter" movies, has died. He was 65. Agent Simon Beresford announced that Griffiths died of complications following heart surgery at University Hospital of Coventry in central England. Richard Drew/Associated Press

Celebrities who have died

March 27, 2013: Former president of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, Fay Kanin, poses for a photo during the foreign language film award reception at the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, in Beverly Hills, Calif. The Academy confirmed Kanin's death. The Emmy-winning and Oscar-nominated screenwriter served as president of the film academy from 1979 to 1983. She was 95. Danny Moloshok/Associated Press

Celebrities who have died

March 27, 2013 : Elvis performing with the Jordanaires' Jordan Stoker, left, and Hoyt Hawkins. Stoker, a member of The Jordanaires vocal group that backed Elvis Presley, died at his home in Brentwood, Tenn., after a lengthy illness. He was 88. Country Music Hall of Fame/Associated Press

Celebrities who have died

March 26, 2013: Don Payne, an Emmy-winning writer and producer for "The Simpsons" who also wrote the hit movie "Thor," died at age 48. Kevin Winter/Getty Images

Celebrities who have died

March 22, 2013: Jazz musician Steve Ellington the grand-nephew of jazz legend Duke Ellington, died in Montgomery at the age of 71. Terry E. Manning/Montgomery (Ala.) Advertiser

Celebrities who have died

March 22, 2013: Cuban pianist Bebo Valdes died in Sweden, according to the Society of Spanish Authors without specifying the cause of death. He was 94. Paul White/Associated Press

Celebrities who have died

March 22, 2013: Chinua Achebe, who wrote the classic "Things Fall Apart," has died. He was 82. Achebe's publisher confirmed his death on March 22, 2013. Craig Ruttle/Associated Press

Celebrities who have died

This April 3, 1954, file photo shows opera singer Rise Stevens in her dressing room at the Metropolitan Opera House in New York before performing in "Carmen." Stevens, who sang with the Metropolitan Opera for more than 20 years spanning the 1940s and 1950s, died on March 20, 2013 at her Manhattan home. She was 99. Jack Harris/Associated Press

Celebrities who have died

March 20, 2013: He was a "Grand Master" of horror and rats were one of his specialties. British horror writer James Herbert, whose best-selling spine-tinglers included "The Rats" and "The Fog," has died at age 69. Herbert's publisher, Pan Macmillan, said he died at his home in Sussex, southern England. Associated Press

Celebrities who have died

March 19, 2013: Former porn star Harry Reems, who co-starred in the 1972 movie "Deep Throat," has died at age 65. Reems, who was born Herbert Streicher, died at the veterans' hospital in Salt Lake City. Reems' wife confirmed his death. Reems played the male lead in "Deep Throat," a pop culture phenomenon that brought pornography to mainstream audiences. Reems left the porn industry and moved to Park City, Utah, in the 1980s, where he underwent an alcohol treatment program and worked as a real estate agent. Scott Wintrow/Getty Images

Celebrities who have died

March 4, 2013: Fran Warren (center), whose 1947 recording of "A Sunday Kind of Love" was one of the classic hits of the big band era, has died. Alan Eichler, a spokesman for the singer-actress, said that Warren died of natural causes at her home in Brookfield, Conn. She was 87. Associated Press

Celebrities who have died

March 16, 2013: Bobby Smith, longtime lead singer of Detroit group the Spinners, died in Orlando of complications from pneumonia and the flu, his family said. He was 76. Smith had been diagnosed with lung cancer in November. Associated Press

Celebrities who have died

March 16, 2013: British actor Frank Thornton, best known as Captain Peacock in the hit television comedy "Are You Being Served?", has died at age 92. The actor's agent, David Daly, said on March 18, 2013, that Thornton died in his sleep in his home in London. Jim James/PA/Associated Press

Celebrities who have died

March 16, 2013: Alternative singer-songwriter Jason Molina, second from right, has died at his home in Indianapolis. He was 39. Courtesy of Facebook/Magnolia Electric Co.

Celebrities who have died

... Courtesy Robert Relyea Collection/Associated Press

Celebrities who have died

March 14, 2013: Jack Greene, at center, a longtime Grand Ole Opry star who earned fame with the hit "There Goes My Everything," has died in Nashville at 83. Rick Diamond/Getty Images

Celebrities who have died

March 12, 2013: Clive Burr, former drummer with heavy metal icons Iron Maiden, has died. He was 56 and had been suffering from multiple sclerosis. Courtesy of Facebook

Celebrities who have died

March 7, 2013: Richard Burton left Sybil for Elizabeth Taylor in 1963. She went on to become a successful nightclub owner and theater producer, and married Jordan Christopher in 1966. The New York Times has reported that Sybil Christopher died Thursday, March 7, 2013 in New York City. She was 83. Associated Press

Celebrities who have died

March 10, 2013: Welsh-born Princess Lilian of Sweden, whose decades-long love story with the king's uncle was one of the better kept secrets of the royal household, has died. She was 97. The Royal Palace says Lilian died in her home in Stockholm. Henrik Montgomery/Associated Press

Celebrities who have died

March 7, 2013: Willy Switkes, who had minor roles in "Tootsie," "Taxi Driver," and dozens of other films. His niece Ellen Switkes says he died of colon cancer at a hospice in Rockville, Md. He was 83. Switkes Family/Associated Press

Celebrities who have died

March 7, 2013: Country singer-songwriter Claude King, an original member of the Louisiana Hayride who was best known for the 1962 hit "Wolverton Mountain," has died. He was 90. Columbia Records

Celebrities who have died

March 6, 2013: Canadian country-folk singer Stompin' Tom Connors, whose toe-tapping musical spirit and fierce patriotism established him as one of Canada's biggest cultural icons, has died, his promoter said Wednesday night, March 6, 2013. He was 77. The Canadian Press/Darren Calabrese/Associated Press

Celebrities who have died

March 6, 2013: Alvin Lee, founder of the band Ten Years After who burst to stardom with a memorable Woodstock performance, died Wednesday, March 6, 2013. He was 68. Ron Rainey/Associated Press

Celebrities who have died

March 4, 2013: This file picture taken on December 6, 2005 shows French theatre director and comedian Jerome Savary posing at his office at the OpÈra Comique Theatre in Paris. Savary died on March 4, 2013 at the age of 70, following a cancer. Stephane De Sakutin/AFP/Getty Images

Celebrities who have died

March 1, 2013: Jewel Akens, a pop singer who had a 1960s hit with "The Birds and the Bees," has died in Southern California at age 79. His wife, Eddie Mae Akens, tells the Los Angeles Times that Akens died Friday from back surgery complications at an Inglewood hospital. ERA Records

Celebrities who have died

Feb. 28, 2013: In this November 3, 2011 photo, pioneering meditation teacher and author, Nancy Cooke de Herrera, is seen in her home in Beverly Hills, Calif. She died at 90 in Los Angeles. Pamela Hassell/Associated Press

Celebrities who have died

March 3, 2013: Bobby Rogers, a founding member of the Miracles, in Detroit. Motown Museum board member Allen Rawls said Rogers died Sunday, March 3, 2013, at his home. He was 73. Todd McInturf/The Detroit News/Associated Press

Celebrities who have died

March 1, 2013: Bonnie Franklin starred in 'One Day at a Time', which ran on CBS from 1975-1984. She died Friday at the age of 69 of pancreatic cancer. CBS

Celebrities who have died

Van Cliburn, the internationally celebrated pianist whose triumph at a 1958 Moscow competition helped thaw the Cold War and launched a spectacular career that made him the rare classical musician to enjoy rock star status died early Wednesday, Feb. 27, 2013, at his Fort Worth home following a battle with bone cancer. Tom Mihalek/Associated Press

Celebrities who have died

Feb. 27, 2013: Former Allman Brothers Band guitarist Dan Toler, second from right, has died following a two-year battle with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, otherwise known as ALS or Lou Gehrig's disease. He was 65. Everett Collection/Rex USA

Celebrities who have died

Feb. 27, 2013: The Temptations, studio group portrait, USA, 1972. Richard Street, left, Melvin Franklin, Otis Williams, Dennis Edwards and Damon Harris. Richard Street, who served with the Temptations during the group's second heyday in the 1970s and '80s, died overnight in Las Vegas. He was 70. Gilles Petard/Redferns via Getty Images

Celebrities who have died

Cleotha Staples of the sibling group The Staple Singers at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony in New York. Cleotha Staples, the eldest sibling in the highly influential gospel group died Friday, Feb. 22, 2013, at her Chicago home after suffering from Alzheimer's disease for the last decade. She was 78. Albert Ferreira/Associated Press

Celebrities who have died

Feb. 18, 2013: In this Aug. 17, 2010 photo, Los Angeles Lakers owner Jerry Buss smiles during an NBA basketball news conference in Bell Gardens, Calif. Buss, the Lakers' playboy owner who shepherded the NBA franchise to 10 championships, died in Los Angeles. He was 80. Associated Press

Celebrities who have died

Feb. 17, 2013: Country singer Mindy McCready performs in Nashville, Tenn. McCready, who hit the top of the country charts before personal problems sidetracked her career, was found dead of an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound on the same porch of her home where her boyfriend and father of her child killed himself. She had previous suicide attempts and struggled with substance abuse that led to some arrests. She appeared on "Celebrity Rehab 3" with Dr. Drew Pinsky and grabbed headlines when she claimed to have a relationship with baseball great Roger Clemons. Associated Press

Celebrities who have died

Feb. 12, 2013: File photo from 2008 of musicians Dave Clark, center, Lenny Davidson, left, and Rick Huxley of the British band the Dave Clark Five pose backstage at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony,in New York. Bass player Rick Huxley, one of the founding members of the Dave Clark Five, has died. He was 72. Clark announced Huxley's death Tuesday, Feb. 12, 2013 saying the news was "devastating." Evan Agostini/Associated Press

Celebrities who have died

Feb. 4, 2013: The Troggs lead singer Reg Presley died, after a year-long struggle with lung cancer that had forced him and the band into reluctant retirement. He was 71. Hermann J. Knippertz/Associated Press

Celebrities who have died

Jan. 30, 2013: This 1942 photo shows singer Patty Andrews, the last survivor of the three singing Andrews sisters, who has died in Los Angeles at age 94. Andrews died Wednesday, at her home in suburban Northridge of natural causes, said family spokesman Alan Eichler. Associated Press

Celebrities who have died

Character actor Harry Carey, Jr. died Dec. 28 at the age of 91. Associated Press/SCVHistory.com

Celebrities who have died

Dec. 24, 2012: Charles Durning, the two-time Oscar nominee who was dubbed the king of the character actors for his skill in playing everything from a Nazi colonel to the pope died at his home in New York City. He was 89. Associated Press

Celebrities who have died

Dec. 24, 2012: Jack Klugman, who made an art of gruffness in TV's "The Odd Couple" and "Quincy, M.E.," died at the age of 90. Michael N. Todaro/Getty Images

Celebrities who have died

Dec. 11, 2012: Ravi Shankar, the sitar virtuoso who became a hippie musical icon of the 1960s after hobnobbing with the Beatles, has died. He was 92. Associated Press

Celebrities who have died

Nov. 23, 2012: Larry Hagman, 81, died in Dallas after a bout with cancer. Associated Press

Celebrities who have died

WASHINGTON - MAY 27: U.S. Sen. Arlen Specter (D-PA) attends a reception in honor of Jewish American Heritage Month May 27, 2010 in the East Room of the White House in Washington, DC. The reception was to celebrate Jewish American heritage and its contributions to American culture. (Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images)Oct. 14, 2012: Former U.S. Sen. Arlen Specter of Pennsylvania, the Republican-turned-Democrat who played a key role in many Supreme Court nominations died at 82. Alex Wong/Getty Images

Celebrities who have died

Monday, September 3, 2012: This Wednesday, Jan. 11, 2012 file photo, shows actor Michael Clarke Duncan in New York. Duncan died at the age of 54. Carlo Allegri/Associated Press

Celebrities who have died

August 19, 2012: Tony Scott, director of such Hollywood blockbusters as "Top Gun," ''Days of Thunder" and "Beverly Hills Cop II," died after jumping from a Los Angeles County Bridge. Associated Press

Celebrities who have died

August 6, 2012: Marvin Hamlisch, who composed or arranged the scores for dozens of movies including "The Sting" and the Broadway smash "A Chorus Line," died in Los Angeles at age 68 after a brief illness. Jason Cohn, Columbia Artists Management Inc. LLC/AP

Celebrities who have died

July 24, 2012: Sherman Hemsley, the actor who made cranky George Jefferson on "The Jeffersons" unforgettable, died in his El Paso home. He was 74. Evan Agostini/Getty Images

Celebrities who have died

July 23, 2012: Sally Ride, the first American woman in space, died after a 17-month battle with pancreatic cancer. She was 61. Associated Press

Celebrities who have died

July 3, 2012: Actor Andy Griffith, best known for his starring roles in "The Andy Griffith Show" and "Matlock," died at his home in North Carolina at age 86. Associated Press

Celebrities who have died

June 17, 2012: Rodney King, the black motorist whose 1991 videotaped beating by Los Angeles police officers led to some of the nation's most destructive race riots, died at age 47. Katy Winn/Associated Press

Celebrities who have died

Comedian Yvette Wilson, of "Moesha" and "The Parkers," who had been fighting stage 4 cervical cancer and kidney disease, died June 14, 2012, according to several reports. She was 48. Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images

Celebrities who have died

June 11, 2012: Ann Rutherford, left, who played Scarlett O'Hara's sister Carreen in the 1939 movie classic "Gone With the Wind," died at her home in Beverly Hills, Calif. at age 94. Associated Press/New Line Cinema

Celebrities who have died

June 6, 2012: Author Ray Bradbury has died at 91. He's best known for "Fahrenheit 451," "The Martian Chronicles," scripting the 1956 film version of "Moby Dick" and writing for "The Twilight Zone." Jacques Sassier

Celebrities who have died

May 20, 2012: Robin Gibb of the Bee Gees passed away following a long battle with cancer and intestinal surgery. Associated Press

Celebrities who have died

May 17, 2012: Singer Donna Summer - died in Florida at age 63 following a battle with cancer. William Morris Agency

Celebrities who have died

May 9, 2012: Celebrity hairstylist Vidal Sassoon, whose 1960s wash-and-wear cuts freed women from endless teasing and hairspray, died from natural causes at age 84. Ian Gavan/Getty Images

Celebrities who have died

May 8, 2012: Maurice Sendak, author of "Where Wild Things Are," died in Danbury, Conn. at age 83, four days after suffering a stroke. Associated Press

Celebrities who have died

May 6, 2012: George Lindsey, who spent nearly 30 years as the grinning Goober on "The Andy Griffith Show" and "Hee Haw," has died after a brief illness. He was 83. Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images

Celebrities who have died

May 4, 2012: Adam Yauch, known as Beastie Boys rapper MCA, died after a long battle with cancer. He was 47. Andrew H. Walker/Getty Images

Celebrities who have died

April 19, 2012: Levon Helm, the drummer and singer who brought an urgent beat and a genuine Arkansas twang to some of The Band's best-known songs and helped turn a bunch of musicians known mostly as Bob Dylan's backup group into one of rock's most legendary acts died at age 71. Associated Press

Celebrities who have died

April 18, 2012: Dick Clark, the television host who helped bring rock 'n' roll into the mainstream on "American Bandstand," has died. He was 82. ABC

Celebrities who have died

April 7, 2012: Mike Wallace, famed for his tough interviews on "60 Minutes," died at the age of 93. Evan Agostini/Associated Press

Celebrities who have died

April 6, 2012: Thomas Kinkade, whose brushwork paintings of idyllic landscapes, cottages and churches have been big sellers for dealers across the United States, died at the age of 54. Gene Blythe/Associated Press

Celebrities who have died

March 28, 2012: Bluegrass legend and banjo pioneer Earl Scruggs has died. He was 88. Associated Press

Celebrities who have died

February 29, 2012: The lead singer of The Monkees, Davy Jones, died at age 66 after suffering a heart attack in Florida. Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images

Celebrities who have died

February 11, 2012: Legendary singer Whitney Houston died at the age of 48 in a Beverly Hills hotel. Associated Press

Celebrities who have died

February 3, 2012: Actor Ben Gazzara, whose powerful dramatic performances brought an intensity to a variety of roles and made him a memorable presence in films, on television and on Broadway in the original "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof," died Friday, Feb. 3, 2012, at age 81 in Manhattan after being in hospice care with cancer. Associated Press

Celebrities who have died

February 1, 2012: Don Cornelius, who with the creation of "Soul Train" helped break down racial barriers and broaden the reach of black culture with funky music, groovy dance steps and cutting edge style, died of an apparent suicide. He was 75. Associated Press

Celebrities who have died

February 1, 2012: Angelo Dundee, the brilliant motivator who worked the corner for Muhammad Ali in his greatest fights and willed Sugar Ray Leonard to victory in his biggest bout, died Wednesday, Feb. 1, 2012, in the Tampa Bay area at age 90. Associated Press

Celebrities who have died

January 26, 2012: Robert Hegyes, the actor best known for playing Jewish Puerto Rican student Juan Epstein on the 1970s TV show "Welcome Back Kotter" died at age 60. Associated Press

Celebrities who have died

January 24, 2012: James Farentino, who appeared in dozens of movies and television shows, died of heart failure at Cedars-Sinai Hospital after a long illness at age 73. Vince Bucci/Getty Images

Celebrities who have died

January 22, 2012: Penn State coach Joe Paterno, a sainted figure at Penn State for almost half a century but scarred forever by the child sex abuse scandal that brought his career to a stunning end, died Sunday, Jan. 22, 2012, at age 85. Associated Press

Celebrities who have died

Etta James, the feisty rhythm and blues singer whose raw, passionate vocals anchored many hits and made the yearning ballad "At Last" an enduring anthem for weddings, commercials and even President Barack Obama, died Friday, Jan. 20, 2012. She was 73. James had been suffering from dementia and kidney problems, and was battling leukemia. In December 2011, her physician announced that her leukemia was terminal. Anthony Montes De Orca

Celebrities who have died

Jan. 4, 2012: Bill Heywood, for decades a popular Valley radio personality, and his wife were found dead in a Scottsdale hotel. The Arizona Republic

Celebrities who have died

December 26, 2011: Mexican actor Pedro Armendariz Jr. died at the age of 71. Armendariz played Gov. Riley in the 2005 movie "The Legend of Zoro," and had roles in 1989's "Old Gringo" and "Once Upon a Time in Mexico" in 2003. Associated Press

Celebrities who have died

December 18, 2011: Vaclav Havel , the dissident playwright who led the 1989 revolution that toppled four decades of communist rule before becoming the Chech Republic's president, died at age 75. Sean Gallup/Getty Images

Celebrities who have died

December 17, 2011: President of North Korea, Kim Jong Il, who was believed to have had diabetes and heart disease, died at age 69 after 17 years in power. Getty Imagess

Celebrities who have died

Dec. 7, 2011: Actor Harry Morgan sits on the set of "M*A*S*H*" in Los Angeles in 1982. The Emmy-winning character actor's portrayal of the fatherly Col. Potter highlighted a show business career that included nine other TV series, 50 films and the Broadway stage. Morgan appeared in mostly supporting roles on the big screen, playing opposite such stars as Henry Fonda, John Wayne, James Garner, Elvis Presley and Dan Aykroyd. On television, he was more the comedic co-star, including roles on "December Bride," its spin-off "Pete and Gladys" and as Sgt. Joe Friday's loyal partner in later "Dragnet." He was 96. AP

Celebrities who have died

November 29, 2011: Comedian Patrice O'Neal died at age 41 after suffering a stroke in October. Scott Gries/Getty Images

Celebrities who have died

November 27, 2011: Ken Russell, an iconoclastic British director whose daring films blended music, sex and violence in a potent brew seemingly drawn straight from his subconscious, died at age 84. Frazer Harrison/Getty Images

Celebrities who have died

November 8, 2011: Bil Keane, the cartoonist whose "Family Circus" mixed humor with traditional family values, entertaining readers for nearly a half-century, died at age 89. Posted online by special permission of King Features Syndicate

Celebrities who have died

November 15, 2011: Karl Slover, one of the last surviving actors who played Munchkins in the 1939 classic film, "The Wizard of Oz," died at age 93. AP

Celebrities who have died

Nov. 8, 2011: Rapper Heavy D dies at age 44. AP

Celebrities who have died

Nov. 7, 2011: Boxer Joe Frazier, who beat Muhammad Ali in the Fight of the Century, dies at age 67 after a brief battle with liver cancer. AP

Celebrities who have died

Nov. 5, 2011: Andy Rooney, longtime closing essayist on CBS' "60 Minutes," dies at 92. AP

Celebrities who have died

Oct. 8, 2011: Longtime Oakland Raiders owner and NFL Hall of Famer Al Davis died at 82. Jeff Chiu/Associated Press

Celebrities who have died

Oct. 5, 2011: Apple CEO and co-founder Steve Jobs, who introduced simple, elegantly designed computers for people who were more interested in what technology could do rather than how it was done, died at age 56. Paul Sakuma/Associated Press

Celebrities who have died

Sept. 11, 2011: Andy Whitfield, who played the title role in the hit cable series "Spartacus: Blood and Sand," died at age 39 in Sydney, Australia, 18 months after he was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin lymphoma. Starz

Celebrities who have died

Sept. 10, 2011: Cliff Robertson, who played JFK in 'PT-109' and went on to win an Oscar for his portrayal of a mentally disabled man in "Charly", died of natural causes in Stony Brook, a day after his 88th birthday. AP

Celebrities who have died

Aug. 3, 2011: Actress Annette Charles, perhaps best-known for her role as Cha Cha DiGregorio in "Grease" died at age 63 after a battle with cancer. Paramount Pictures

Celebrities who have died

July 23, 2011: Amy Winehouse performs at Lollapalooza in Chicago on Aug. 5, 2007. She was found dead in her London home, police say. The troubled star, who had struggled with drug and alcohol abuse in recent years, was 27. AP

Celebrities who have died

July 8, 2011: Former first lady Betty Ford talks with reporters at the Old Executive Building in Washington D.C. on Aug. 30,1994. She died at age 93 in Rancho Mirage, Calif. AP

Celebrities who have died

June 23, 2011: Actor Peter Falk, best known for the eponymous role in TV's "Columbo," died in his Beverly Hills home. He was 83. Falk earned Best Supporting Actor Oscar nominations for his performances in "Pocketful of Miracles" and "Murder, Inc." Gabriel Bouys/AFP/Getty Images

Celebrities who have died

June 20, 2011: 'Jackass' star Ryan Dunn died in a car crash in Pennsylvania. He was 34. Michael Buckner/Getty Images

Celebrities who have died

June 18, 2011: Clarence Clemons (left) died of complications from a stroke, leaving behind a rich musical legacy that stretches four decades, from his life's work as Bruce Springsteen's right-hand Big Man in the E Street Band to session work with everyone from Lady Gaga to Aretha Franklin. He was 69. AP

Celebrities who have died

June 4, 2011: Former Secretary of State Lawrence Eagleburger is seen on Nov. 27, 2006, outside of the Woodrow Wilson Center in Washington. Friends and former colleagues say Eagleburger, the only career foreign service officer to rise to the position of secretary of state, died. He was 80. AP

Celebrities who have died

June 3, 2011: Jim Arness, best known for his role as Marshal Matt Dillon of "Gunsmoke," is shown on May 13, 2002, at his home in the Brentwood section of Los Angeles. He died at age 88. AP

Celebrities who have died

June 3, 2011: Jack Kevorkian, (in this 1991 photo), the retired pathologist who captured the world's attention as he helped dozens of ailing people commit suicide, igniting intense debate and ending up in prison for murder, dies in a Detroit area hospital at age 83. AP

Celebrities who have died

May 23, 2011: Jeff Conaway. The actor who starred in the sitcom "Taxi," played swaggering Kenickie in the movie musical "Grease" and publicly battled drug and alcohol addiction on "Celebrity Rehab," died at 60. Mark Mainz/Getty Images

Celebrities who have died

May 20, 2011: "Macho Man" Randy Savage, shown in an undated publicity image released by WWE. Savage, whose legal name is Randy Mario Poffo, died in a car crash in Seminole, Fla. He was 58. WWE/AP

Celebrities who have died

May 3, 2011: Actor Jackie Cooper, is shown in Los Angeles on Oct. 20, 1978. Cooper, the child movie star who won a best actor Oscar nomination at 9 for "Skippy" and grew up to play The Daily Planet editor in as Christopher Reeves' four "Superman" movies, died from an undisclosed illness at a Los Angeles hospital. He was 88. AP

Celebrities who have died

May 3, 2011: This undated photo shows actress Yvette Vickers, a former Playboy playmate and B-movie actress who appeared in the cult movies "Attack of the 50-Foot Woman" and "Attack of the Giant Leeches." Vickers' badly decomposed body was found at her Benedict Canyon home and may have died months earlier. She was 74. AP

Celebrities who have died

April 9, 2011: Director Sidney Lumet, during a Jan. 31, 2006, interview in his New York office where he discussed the current state of TV news, the focus of his 1976 film, "Network." Lumet, the award-winning director of such acclaimed films as "Serpico," "Dog Day Afternoon" and "12 Angry Men," was 86. AP

Celebrities who have died

March 27, 2011: Farley Granger. Most famous for his roles in Alfred Hitchcock's "Strangers on a Train" and "Rope," Granger died of natural causes in New York. He was 85. AP

Celebrities who have died

March 23, 2011: Screen Legend Elizabeth Taylor died at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles. She had been suffering from congestive heart failure. If any one person could embody the glitz, scandal, sex-appeal and power of Hollywood, it's Elizabeth Taylor. The British-born actress' life story - from child star to sex symbol to Oscar winner to society doyenne and AIDS activist - is itself a larger-than-life tale seasoned liberally with heartbreak and bold-faced names. Here's a look back at her long career. MGM

Celebrities who have died

March 18, 2011: Then-Secretary of State Warren Christopher talks to reporters during a news conference at the Sheraton hotel in Damascus, Syria, on Jan. 12, 1996 file photo. Christopher died from complications of kidney and bladder cancer at his home in Los Angeles. He was 85. AP

Celebrities who have died

March 15, 2011: Nate Dogg. The rapper's near monotone crooning anchored some of rap's most seminal songs and helped define the sound of West coast hip-hop, died at age 41 of complications from multiple strokes. Frazer Harrison/Getty Images

Celebrities who have died

March 9, 2011: David Broder (in 1997), the Pulitzer Prize-winning Washington Post political reporter and columnist whose even-handed treatment of Democrats and Republicans set him apart from the ideological warriors on the nation's op-ed pages, died at age 81. Kim Arrington/Washington Post

Celebrities who have died

Feb. 28, 2011: Actress Jane Russell, stunning star of 1940s and 1950s films, poses for photos on the set of "Gentlemen Prefer Blondes" in Hollywood, Calif., in December 1952. Russell (in a 2008 photo at right) died at her home in Santa Maria, Calif., at age 89. AP

Celebrities who have died

February 17, 2011: Perry Moore. The co-producer of "The Chronicles of Narnia" film series and the author of an award-winning novel about a gay teenager with superpowers, was found unconscious in his bathroom and died later at a hospital. He was 39. Getty Images

Celebrities who have died

Feb. 16, 2011: Len Lesser, 88, best known as Uncle Leo in the hit television show "Seinfeld" but also veteran of over 500 film and television appearances and stage roles during his generation-spanning career, died in Burbank, Calif., of pneumonia related to cancer. AP

Celebrities who have died

Feb. 5, 2011: John Paul Getty III. Getty, the troubled grandson of the multibillionaire oil magnate who once lost an ear in a grisly kidnapping, has died at age 54. AP

Celebrities who have died

February 4, 2011: Lena Nyman. The Swedish actress starred in sexually explicit movies that defined Swedish cinema in the 1960s. She died peacefully in a Stockholm hospital after a long illness. AP

Celebrities who have died

February 2, 2011: Maria Schneider. The French actress was Marlon Brando's young co-star in the steamy 1972 film "Last Tango in Paris." She died in Paris "following a long illness." UA/Associated Press

Celebrities who have died

Jan. 30, 2011: Film composer John Barry as he holds his Academy Fellowship award at the British Academy Film Awards in London's Leicester Square in 2005. Barry, who won five Oscars and is best known for creating music for the James Bond movies, died in New York at age 77. AP

Celebrities who have died

January 23, 2011: Jack LaLanne. The fitness guru inspired television viewers to trim down and pump iron for decades before exercise became a national obsession. AP

Celebrities who have died

Jan. 17, 2011: Music publisher Don Kirshner arrives for the 2007 Songwriters Hall of Fame gala in New York. Kirshner, the man Time magazine once dubbed the "Man With the Golden Ear" died of heart failure in a Florida hospital. He was 76. AP

Celebrities who have died

Jan. 10, 2011: Actor John Dye, 47, (right, with co-star Roma Downey and Eric Roberts in 1999), whose career included the role of Andrew, the angel of death, in the long-running television series "Touched by an Angel," was found dead at his San Francisco home. Cause of death has not been determined. CBS

Celebrities who have died

Dec. 26, 2010: Teena Marie, a white R&B legend, revered and fully immersed herself in black culture - and in turn was respected and adored by black audiences, not only for her immense soulful talents, but for her inner soul as well. Universal Music/Associated Press

Celebrities who have died

Dec. 17, 2010: Actor Steve Landesberg speaks during the 2009 Winter Television Critics Association Press Tour at the Universal Hilton Hotel on January 10, 2009 in Los Angeles. He had a role in "Forgetting Sarah Marshall," but was best known for his work on the TV show, "Barney Miller." He died at age 65 died after battling cancer. Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images

Celebrities who have died

Dec. 15, 2010: Film director Blake Edwards (right) gets a visit from Phoenix theater owner Dan Harkins, his wife, Karen, and ASU director of Film and Media Studies Peter Lehman before Blake speaks to a crowd at a gala reception at the Harkins Centerpoint Theatre in September, 2005. Edwards, 88, the director and writer known for clever dialogue and occasional belly-laugh sight gags in "Breakfast at Tiffany's," "10" and the "Pink Panther" farces, died from complications of pneumonia in Santa Monica, Calif. Tom Tingle/The Arizona Republic

Celebrities who have died

Dec. 7, 2010: Elizabeth Edwards, then wife of former Democratic presidential hopeful North Carolina Sen. John Edwards, testifies in May, 2008 before the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions committee hearing on the challenges and opportunities for fighting cancer on Capitol Hill in Washington. She died after a long battle with cancer at age 61. Tom Tingle/The Arizona Republic

Celebrities who have died

Nov. 28, 2010: Actors Leslie Nielsen and Nicollette Sheridan arrive at the El Capitan Theatre in Los Angeles for the premiere of "Spy Hard" on May 16, 1996. The Canadian-born Nielsen, who went from drama to inspired bumbling as a hapless doctor in "Airplane!" and the accident-prone detective Frank Drebin in "The Naked Gun" comedies, died at age 84 at a hospital near his home where he was being treated for pneumonia. AP

Celebrities who have died

Nov. 5, 2010: In April 2006, Actress Jill Clayburgh arrives to the opening night of the play "Festen," on Broadway at the Music Box Theatre, in New York. Clayburgh, whose Broadway and Hollywood acting career stretched through the decades, highlighted by her Oscar-nominated portrayal of a divorcee exploring her sexuality in the 1978 film "An Unmarried Woman," died at 66 at her Lakeville, Calif., home after a 21-year battle with chronic lymphocytic leukemia. AP

Celebrities who have died

Nov. 4, 2010: Cincinnati Reds manager Sparky Anderson watches spring training in 1974. Anderson, the Hall of Fame manager, died in Thousand Oaks, Calif., at 76. AP

Celebrities who have died

Nov. 3, 2010: Julien Hug, a former contestant on the ABC series "The Bachelorette," appears in May at a Habitat for Humanity event in Pacoima, Calif. Hug's father says his son's body was found in the remote Pinyon Pines area about 90 miles southeast of Los Angeles. Julien Hug was 30. AP

Celebrities who have died

Nov. 1, 2010: Actress Shannon Tavarez, who played the part of Young Nala the Broadway musical, "The Lion King," appears at her home in the Queens borough of New York in July. Shannon, 11, died at Cohen Children's Medical Center in New Hyde Park, on New York's Long Island, after a battle with leukemia. AP

Celebrities who have died

Oct. 28, 2010: In a 1969 photo originally released by CBS, actor James MacArthur is shown in character as Detective Dan Williams in the TV show "Hawaii Five-O." MacArthur, the son of actress Helen Hayes and playwright Charles MacArthur died at 72. AP

Celebrities who have died

Oct. 25, 1010: Earlier this year, actress Lisa Blount arrives at the 25th Film Independent Spirit Awards at the Nokia Theatre in Los Angeles. Blount, 53, was found dead at her home in Little Rock, Ark. She was best known for her role in the 1982 movie, "An Officer and a Gentleman." Jordan Strauss/Getty Images

Celebrities who have died

Oct. 22, 2010: Pioneering TV cartoon artist Alexander Anderson Jr. is shown at his home in 2005 in Pebble Beach, Calif. Anderson, who created Rocky the flying squirrel, Bullwinkle the moose and Dudley Do-Right the Canadian Mountie, died at 90 at an assisted living facility in Carmel. He was suffering from Alzheimer's disease. AP

Celebrities who have died

Oct: 20, 2010: "Penthouse" publisher and founder Bob Guccione holds up his magazine and "Playboy" at a news conference in June 1986 while announcing a anti-censorship campaign at Penthouse offices in New York. Guccione, who erected an erotic corporate empire only to see it crumble into bankruptcy, died of cancer at 79. AP

Celebrities who have died

Oct. 19, 2010: From left, "Happy Days" producer Garry Marshall, stands on July 12, 2001 with actors Tom Bosley, Marion Ross, Erin Moran, Henry Winkler and Anson Williams after Ross received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Bosley (inset), the patient, understanding father on the long-running television show, died of heart failure early at a hospital near his home in Palm Springs, Calif. He was 83. AP

Celebrities who have died

Oct. 16, 2010: In this Sept. 27, 2007 photo, Jerry Mathers, Barbara Billingsley, and Tony Dow, the cast of "Leave It To Beaver", pose for a photo as they are reunited in Santa Monica, Calif., to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the show. Billingsley, who gained the title supermom for her gentle portrayal of June Cleaver, the warm, supportive mother of a pair of precocious boys in "Leave it to Beaver," died at 94. AP

Celebrities who have died

Oct. 15, 2010: Johnny Sheffield (center), who played the role of Tarzan's son in the the films of Johnny Weissmuller (left), appears in a March 23, 1945 photo with Johnny Weissmuller Jr. Sheffield died at his home is San Diego. He was 79. AP

Celebrities who have died

Oct. 10, 2010: Soprano singer Joan Sutherland appears at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington in December 2005. Sutherland, whose purity of tone and brilliant vocal display over a four decade career made her one of the most celebrated opera singers of all time, died at 83 at her home near Geneva, Switzerland, after a long illness. AP

Celebrities who have died

Oct. 10, 2010: Solomon Burke, one of the pioneers of soul music, gestures to the audience after being inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame on March 19, 2001. Burke, 70, died at an airport in Amsterdam while en route to a concert. AP

Celebrities who have died

Sept. 29, 2010: Author/producer Stephen J. Cannell participates in a panel at the 14th Annual Los Angeles Times Festival of Books on the campus of the University of California Los Angeles on April 25, 2009. Cannell worked on dozens of popular TV shows, including "The Rockford Files," "The A-Team" and "The Commish." He died at 69 from complications of melanoma at his home in Pasadena, Calif. John M. Heller/Getty Images

Celebrities who have died

Sept. 29, 2010: Actor Tony Curtis arrives for the 2006 Empire Film Awards in London on March 13, 2006. Curtis died at his Las Vegas area home of a cardiac arrest at 85. AP

Celebrities who have died

June 13, 2010: Country singer and sausage icon Jimmy Dean, seen at his home in Varina, Va., in 2009, died at home at 81. Dean was a country music legend for his smash hit about a workingman hero, "Big Bad John," and an entrepreneur known for his sausage brand. At right, in 1964 Dean smiles while he gets ready for a taping of "The Jimmy Dean Show" in a New York studio. AP

Celebrities who have died

May 29, 2010: Dennis Hopper, the high-flying Hollywood actor-director whose memorable career included the 1969 smash "Easy Rider," died at his Venice, Calif., home. The actor who was suffering from prostate cancer, was 74. In this March 26, 2010 photo, actor Jack Nicholson, who also appeared in "Easy Rider," congratulates Hopper after he was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in Los Angeles. AP

Celebrities who have died

May 28, 2010: Gary Coleman, the child star of the smash 1970s TV sitcom "Diff'rent Strokes" whose later career was marred by medical and legal problems, died in Provo, Utah, after suffering an intercranial hemorrhage. He was 42. AP

Celebrities who have died

May 26, 2010: Television host Art Linkletter, whose popular TV shows "People Are Funny" and "House Party" ran in the 1950s and 1960s, died at his home in the Bel-Air section of Los Angeles. He was 97. AP

Celebrities who have died

"Designing Women" actress Dixie Carter, who used her charm and stately beauty in a host of roles on Broadway and television, died on April 10, 2010. She was 70. Chris Pizzello/Associated Press

Celebrities who have died

Original Munchkin Meinhardt Raabe died on the morning of April 9, 2010 at a hospital in Orange Park, Fla. He was 94 and was one of the few surviving Munchkins from the 1939 film "The Wizard of Oz." Charles Sykes/Associated Press

Celebrities who have died

April 1, 2010: John Forsythe, the handsome, smooth-voiced actor who made his fortune as the scheming oil tycoon in TV's "Dynasty" and the voice of the leader of "Charlie's Angels" died at his California home after a yearlong battle with cancer. He was 92. AP

Celebrities who have died

March 18, 2010: Actor Fess Parker is shown at Disneyland on the 50th anniversary of his debut as TV's "Davy Crockett," when the park unveiled a tribute window honoring Parker in Anaheim, Calif. Parker died of natural causes at his Santa Ynez home near the Fess Parker Winery. He was 85. AP

Celebrities who have died

Corey Haim, 38, a 1980s teen heartthrob for his roles in "Lucas" and "The Lost Boys," died Wednesday March 10, 2010 at Providence St. Joseph Medical Center in Burbank, Calif. His career was blighted by drug abuse. Michael Buckner/Getty Images

Celebrities who have died

Actress Brittany Murphy died Sunday, Dec. 20, 2009, at the age of 32. David Livingston/Getty Images

Celebrities who have died

Comedian Soupy Sales, left, mugs for photographers after delivering his trademark pie-in-the-face to fellow comedian Pat Cooper during a party honoring his 75th birthday in this Jan. 8, 2001 file photo taken at the Friar's Club in New York. Sales, the rubber-faced comedian whose anything-for-a-chuckle career was built on 20,000 pies to the face and 5,000 live TV appearances across a half-century of laughs, died Oct. 22, 2009. He was 83. AP

Celebrities who have died

New York Times columnist William Safire holds up a pair of boxing gloves in this Jan. 14, 1996 file photo taken in Washington. Pulitzer Prize-winning conservative columnist, language expert and former White House speechwriter William Safire died at the age of 79 on Sept. 27, 2009. AP

Celebrities who have died

In this photo taken July 12, 2006, Timothy "Big Russ" Russert Sr., left, and Tim Russert are seen at the annual "South Buffalo Stag" in West Seneca, N.Y. The father of the late "Meet the Press" moderator Tim Russert, the inspiration for his son's best-selling book about their relationship and lessons learned, died Sept. 24, 2009. He was 85. The Buffalo News, Ron Colleran

Celebrities who have died

Mary Travers, 72, of the iconic folk group Peter, Paul and Mary died Sept. 16, 2009, after battling leukemia for years. At right, the trio (from left) Peter Yarrow, Travers and Paul Stookey, perform on Jan. 14, 1964 on "The Jack Benny Program" in Los Angeles. AP

Celebrities who have died

Comedian Henry Gibson poses for a photo in his home in Malibu, Calif. in 2009. Gibson, the veteran comic character actor best known for his role reciting offbeat poetry on "Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In," died Sept. 16, 2009. He was 73. AP

Celebrities who have died

Actor Patrick Swayze, 57, died Sept. 14, 2009. The star of the film "Dirty Dancing" succumbed to pancreatic cancer after a nearly two-year battle. AP

Celebrities who have died

Celebrity disc jockey Adam Goldstein, also known as DJ AM, in shown spinning records at the Moody Blues clothing store opening in Scottsdale, Ariz. Goldstein was found dead in his New York City apartment Aug. 28, 2009. He was 36. AP

Celebrities who have died

Author Dominick Dunne, who told stories of shocking crimes among the rich and famous through his magazine articles and best-selling novels such as "The Two Mrs. Grenvilles," died Aug. 26, 2009, at his home in Manhattan. He was 83. AP

Celebrities who have died

Sen. Edward M. Kennedy died at his home in Hyannis Port, Massachusetts on August 25, 2009, after battling a brain tumor. He was 77. AP

Celebrities who have died

This undated file photo shows the Kennedy brothers, John F. Kennedy, left, Robert Kennedy, and Ted Kennedy, right, in Hyannis Port, Mass. Ted Kennedy died Aug, 25, 2009. AP

Celebrities who have died

Washington journalist and syndicated columnist Robert Novak, left, died Aug. 18, 2009. Novak was a central figure in the Valerie Plame CIA leak case. AP

Celebrities who have died

This 1984 file photo shows director John Hughes. Hughes is the man who wrote "National Lampoon's Vacation," "Mr. Mom" and "Natonal Lampoon's European Vacation." He also wrote and directed "16 Candles," "The Breakfast Club," and "Weird Science." Hughes was 59. AP

Celebrities who have died

Handlers say Gidget the Chihuahua, whose Taco Bell commercials made her a star, has died. She was 15. The owner of Studio Animal Services in Castaic says Gidget suffered a massive stroke late July 21, 2009 at her trainer's home in Santa Clarita, Calif. and had to be euthanized. AP

Celebrities who have died

Frank McCourt, retired teacher and author of the best selling book "Angela's Ashes," sits during an interview in his New York apartment. Brother Malachy McCourt says Frank McCourt died July 19, 2009, at a Manhattan hospice in New York City at age 78. AP

Celebrities who have died

Former news anchor Walter Cronkite, known as the "most trusted man in America," died July 17, 2009. He was 92. AP

Celebrities who have died

This July 1, 1952 photo shows CBS-TV Washington newsman, Walter Cronkite. AP

Celebrities who have died

Arturo Gatti celebrates after defeating Gianluca Branco of Italy for the WBC junior welterweight championship in Atlantic City, N.J. Officials say Gatti has been found dead in a hotel room at the seaside resort of Porto de Galinhas in northeastern Brazil on July 11, where he arrived on Friday with his wife and one-year-old son. The spokesman said it was unclear how Gatti died. He was 37. AP

Celebrities who have died

President Kennedy sits with Secretary of Defense Robert S. McNamara, right, in the White House Oval Office in a photo from 1961. McNamara was vilified for his role in escalating the Vietnam War, which he later denounced as "terribly wrong." He died July 6, 2009 at the age of 93. AP

Celebrities who have died

In this January 1977 photo, Yoko Ono, center, and John Lennon, right, are shown with former Beatles manager Allen Klein. Klein died July 4, 2009 in New York. AP

Celebrities who have died

Tennessee Titans quarterback Steve McNair was shot and killed July 4, 2009 in Nashville. AP

Celebrities who have died

Actor Karl Malden points to a plaque that dedicates the Barrington Street Post Office to the actor in Los Angeles in a Nov. 9, 2005 photo. Malden, a former steelworker who won an Oscar for his role as Mitch in the 1951 classic "A Streetcar Named Desire," died July 1, 2009. He was 97. AP

Celebrities who have died

TV pitchman Billy Mays poses with some of his cleaning products at his Palm Harbor, Fla. home. Mays, the television pitchman known for his boisterous hawking of products such as Orange Glo and OxiClean, was 50. AP

Celebrities who have died

In this Dec. 3, 1984 photo, Michael Jackson performs with his brothers at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles as part of their Victory Tour concert. Jackson, the sensationally gifted child star who rose to become the "King of Pop" and the biggest celebrity in the world only to fall from his throne in a freakish series of scandals, died June 25, 2009 He was 50. AP

Celebrities who have died

In this picture provided by the Alabama Blues Project, Alabama blues singer and guitarist Willie King poses with his guitar in Old Memphis, Ala. in 1999 on the land where the Rural Members Association teaches youth subsistence farming. King, whose career took him from backwoods juke joints to the largest blues festivals in North America and Europe, died March 8, 2009. He was 65. AP

Celebrities who have died

The Jackson 5: Michael Jackson, front right, Marlon Jackson, front left, Tito Jackson, back left, Jackie Jackson and Jermaine, back right are shown in Los Angeles. Pop star Michael Jackson died at the age of 50 on June 25, 2009. AP

Celebrities who have died

Farrah Fawcett is seen in a 1977 publicity photo for the series "Charlie's Angels." Fawcett died June 25, 2009, in a Los Angeles hospital. She was 62. AP

Celebrities who have died

Ed McMahon is seen in a 2007 file photo. McMahon, the loyal "Tonight Show" sidekick who bolstered boss Johnny Carson with guffaws and a resounding "H-e-e-e-e-e-ere's Johnny!" for 30 years, died June 23, 2009, at a Los Angeles hospital. He was 86. Matt Sayles/Associated Press

Celebrities who have died

Kenny Rankin, a pop vocalist and highly regarded musician-songwriter whose stylings ranged from jazz to pop to the world music influences he picked up as a child in New York, died of complications related to lung cancer June 8, 2009. He was 69. AP

Celebrities who have died

Actor David Carradine, star of the 1970s TV series "Kung Fu" who also had a wide-ranging career in the movies, was found dead in the Thai capital of Bangkok, June 4, 2009. A news report said he was found hanged in his hotel room and was believed to have committed suicide. AP

Celebrities who have died

In this January 3, 1986 photo, actor David Carradine is shown during the filming of CBS' "Kung Fu: The Movie." Carradine, star of the 1970s TV series "Kung Fu" whose career roared back to life when he played the assassin-turned-victim in Quentin Tarentino's "Kill Bill," was found dead June 4, 2009, in Thailand. He was 72. AP

Celebrities who have died

Wayman Tisdale, a three-time All-American at Oklahoma who played 12 seasons in the NBA, an a award-winning jazz musician, died May 15, 2009 after a two-year battle with cancer. He was 44. AP

Celebrities who have died

Lynyrd Skynyrd bassist Donald "Ean" Evans plays during a concert in the Buck Creek Amphitheater in Helena, Mont. in 2005. Evans 48, died of cancer at his home in Mississippi May 6, 2009. AP

Celebrities who have died

Actor and comedian Dom DeLuise, in a photo from 1987. DeLuise died in Southern California on May 4, 2009. He was 75. AP

Celebrities who have died

Actress Beatrice Arthur accepting her Emmy award at the 40th annual Emmy Awards ceremony in Pasadena, Ca. in 1988. The 86-year-old Arthur died April 25, 2009. Bea Arthur starred in the TV show "Golden Girls," but is also well known for her role in the TV show "Maude." AP

Celebrities who have died

Members of the television series "Golden Girls" posing for a photo, clockwise from left, Bea Arthur, Rue McClanahan, Betty White and Estelle Getty. Arthur first appeared in the landmark comedy series "All in the Family" as Edith Bunker's outspoken cousin. The spinoff "Maude" was the result of Arthur's work in "All in the Family." AP

Celebrities who have died

In this April 27, 2000, file photo adult film star Marilyn Chambers arrives at a screening of "Rated X," at the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences in Beverly Hills, Calif. Chambers was found dead by her 17-year-old daughter at her home in northern Los Angeles County on April 12, 2009. She was 56. AP

Celebrities who have died

Actor Jack Wrangler, shown in a movie poster for the documentary about him, "Wrangler: Anatomy of an Icon." Wrangler, a ruggedly handsome 1970s-era porn star whose openness about his homosexuality made him a symbol of self-confidence for many gay men, died April 7, 2009, at the age of 62. AP

Celebrities who have died

Andy Hallet, who portrayed Lorne in the vampire TV series "Angel," died March 29, 2009 at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles after having problems breathing. Hallet, 33, has battled a heart condition for the past five years. AP

Celebrities who have died

Dan Seals, right, and Marie Osmond accept the vocal duo of the year award during the Country Music Association awards show in Nashville, Tenn. in 1986. Seals, who was England Dan in the pop duo England Dan and John Ford Coley and later had a successful country career, died March 25, 2009, of complications from cancer. He was 61. AP

Celebrities who have died

Theater and film actress Natasha Richardson suffered a serious brain injury in a Canadian skiing accident March 16, 2009. She died of her injuries March 18. Richardson was 45. AP

Celebrities who have died

From left, Elizabeth Taylor, Eddie Fisher and Debbie Reynolds are shown attending the opening show starring Fisher at the Tropicana in Las Vegas on June 19, 1958. Anonymous

Celebrities who have died

Natasha Richardson is shown with her husband, actor Liam Neeson, in a photo from October, 2008. Richardson, 45, died March 18, 2009 in New York after suffering an apparent head injury from a skiing accident in Canada. AP

Celebrities who have died

Actor Ron Silver died March 15, 2009 in New York City after a two-year battle with esophageal cancer. Silver, 62, received Emmy Award nominations for his supporting role in the 1987 miniseries "Billionaire Boys Club" and, in 2002, for his recurring role as presidential campaign adviser Bruno Gianelli on "The West Wing." He had impressive roles in the films "Ali," and "Enemies: A Love Story." AP

Celebrities who have died

Paul Harvey is seen in Phoenix in a photo dated 2001. Paul Harvey, the news commentator and talk-radio pioneer whose staccato style made him one of the nation's most familiar voices, died Feb. 28, 2009 in Arizona. He was 90. AP

Celebrities who have died

Chicago Bulls' broadcaster and original head coach Johnny 'Red' Kerr laughs as he is honored during the halftime of an NBA basketball game between the Bulls and the Detroit Pistons in Chicago. A spokesman for the team said Kerr died Feb. 26, 2009. Kerr was the first coach of the Phoenix Suns. AP

Celebrities who have died

Actor Phil Carey, best known for his role as business tycoon Asa Buchanan in the ABC soap opera "One Life to Live," died, Feb. 6, 2009, at his New York home following a battle with lung cancer, He was 83. AP

Celebrities who have died

Molly Bee was a country singer and teen star, popular in 1950s and 1960s. She appeared on the shows "Hometown Jamboree" and "The Tennessee Ernie Ford Show." Her first major single was I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus" in 1952, when she was 13. Bee died Feb. 11, 2009, at the age of 69. AP

Celebrities who have died

Football player Eddie Ayers, who played on UCLA's 1976 Rose Bowl championship team under coach Dick Vermeil, died Sunday Feb. 8, 2009 in Los Angeles after a battle with lupus. Ayers was a running back and kick returner for UCLA from 1973-75. AP

Celebrities who have died

Dewey Martin, in a photo taken in the early 1980's. Martin, the drummer who helped found the pioneering country rock band Buffalo Springfield with Neil Young and Stephen Stills, died Feb. 6, 2009. He was 68. AP

Celebrities who have died

Actor James Whitmore, a Tony-and Emmy-winning actor, who was also nominated for an Oscar, died of lung cancer Feb. 6, 2009 in his Malibu home, AP

Celebrities who have died

In a photo from Nov. 1998, famed author John Updike speaks during the National Book Awards in New York. Updike, the Pulitzer Prize-winning novelist, prolific man of letters and erudite chronicler of sex, divorce and other adventures in the postwar prime of the American empire, died Jan. 27, 2009, of lung cancer. He was 76. AP

Celebrities who have died

Mexican-born actor Ricardo Montalban, shown in a photo from 1994. Montalban became a star in splashy MGM musicals and later the wish-fulfilling Mr. Roarke in TV's "Fantasy Island." He died Jan. 14, 2009, at the age of 88. AP

Celebrities who have died

In this 1965 photo, Emmy-winning actor Patrick McGoohan is shown in a scene from the CBS series "Secret Agent." McGoohan, an actor who created and starred in the cult classic television show "The Prisoner," died Jan. 13, 2009. He was 80. AP

Celebrities who have died

Actress Ann Savage, circa 1940. Savage earned a cult following as a femme fatale in such 1940's pulp-fiction movies as "Detour." She died at age 87 in a California nursing home Dec. 25, 2008. AP

Celebrities who have died

This Nov. 28, 1970 file photo shows singer Eartha Kitt in New York. Kitt died Dec. 25, 2008 of colon cancer. She was 81. AP

Celebrities who have died

Actor John Costelloe, 47, who portrayed the gay lover of a closeted mobster on "The Sopranos" died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound in New York Dec. 18, 2008. The former New York City firefighter gained fame in 2006 when he was cast as short-order cook Jim "Johnny Cakes" Witowski opposite Joseph Gannascoli, who played gay mobster Vito Spatafore on the hit HBO show. imdb.com

Celebrities who have died

Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Dock Ellis is shown in Bradenton, Fla., in this Feb. 1974 file photo taken during spring training. Ellis, who infamously claimed he pitched a no-hitter for Pittsburgh under the influence of LSD and later fiercely spoke out against drug and alcohol addiction, died Dec. 19, 2008 of a liver ailment in Calif. He was 63. AP

Celebrities who have died

W. Mark Felt, the former FBI second-in-command who revealed himself as "Deep Throat" 30 years after he tipped off reporters to the Watergate scandal that toppled a president, died Dec. 18, 2008. He was 95. AP

Celebrities who have died

Former FBI officials, Mark Felt, left, and Edward S. Miller, appear at a news conference, in this April 15, 1981 file photo after learning that President Reagan had pardoned them from their conviction of unauthorized break-ins during the Nixon administration's search for opponents during the Vietnam War. AP

Celebrities who have died

In this July 29, 1958 file photo, actor Van Johnson, right, and his wife, Eve Lynn Abbott, are shown on board the liner Queen Elizabeth as they arrive from Europe to New York. Johnson died Dec. 12, 2008. He was 92. AP

Celebrities who have died

In this Oct 11, 1986 file photo, Houston Astros pitcher Dave Smith, center, sits surrounded by members of the press in his locker room after a baseball game against the New York Mets in New York. Smith died Dec. 17, 2008. AP

Celebrities who have died

In this Dec. 4, 1938 file photo, Sammy Baugh, quarterback for the Washington Redskins, is shown at the Polo Grounds in New York. Baugh, who set numerous passing records with the Washington Redskins in an era when NFL teams were running most every down, died Dec. 17, 2008, at the age of 94. AP

Celebrities who have died

Actor Sam Bottoms, one of four actor brothers, died Dec. 16, 2008 of brain cancer at his home in Los Angeles. He was 53. Bottoms had small but memorable roles in the 1970s classics "Apocalypse Now" and "The Last Picture Show." AP

Celebrities who have died

In this April 10, 1963, file photo actress Zsa Zsa Gabor and Herbert Hutner arrive for the New York premier of the film "The Ugly American." Hutner, who chaired the President's Advisory Committee on the Arts during the Reagan and George H.W. Bush administrations and was the fourth husband of Zsa Zsa Gabor, died Dec. 7, 2008. He was 99. AP

Celebrities who have died

In this undated file photo, Martha "Sonny" Von Bulow is shown. After surviving 28 years in a persistent vegetative state, Von Bulow died in a New York City nursing home Dec. 6, 2008. She was 76. AP

Celebrities who have died

Actress Beverly Garland, who starred in 1950s cult hits like "Swamp Women" and "Not of This Earth" and who went on to play Fred MacMurray's TV wife on "My Three Sons," died Dec. 5, 2008. She was 82. AP

Celebrities who have died

Actress Nina Foch appears in a scene from "A Lesson in Loving." Foch, who often played cool, calculating women in films, theater and television and later became a respected acting coach died Dec. 5, 2008. She was 84. Foch made her film debut in 1943 and appeared in such movies as "An American in Paris," "The Ten Commandments," "Spartacus," "Rich and Famous" and "Sliver." AP

Celebrities who have died

Science-fiction writer Forrest J. Ackerman gestures during an interview at his Los Angeles home. Ackerman, the sometime actor, literary agent, magazine editor and full-time bon vivant who discovered author Ray Bradbury and was widely credited with coining the term "sci-fi," has died. Ackerman died Dec. 4, 2008 of heart failure. He was 92. AP

Celebrities who have died

Odetta, the folk singer with the powerful voice who moved audiences and influenced fellow musicians for a half-century died Dec. 2, 2008. She was 77. AP

Celebrities who have died

Christopher Guest, left, and Paul Benedict are shown in a scene from, "Waiting For Guffman." Benedict, the actor who played the English neighbor Harry Bentley on the sitcom "The Jeffersons," died Dec. 1, 2008. He was 70. AP

Celebrities who have died

In this 1977 file photo provided by CBS, from left, Sherman Hemsley, Paul Benedict, and Damon Evans star in an episode of "The Jeffersons." Benedict, the actor who played the English neighbor Harry Bentley on the sitcom "The Jeffersons," died Dec. 1, 2008. AP

Celebrities who have died

Monster.com founder Andrew J. McKelvey, the billionaire founder and former chief executive of Monster Worldwide Inc., was 74 when he died of pancreatic cancer Nov. 27, 2008. AP

Celebrities who have died

Miriam Makeba, the South African singer known to fans worldwide as Mama Africa, performs during her last concert on Nov. 9, 2008, in Castel Volturno, southern Italy. Makeba died of a heart attack, after collapsing during her concert. She was 76. Associated Press

Celebrities who have died

Author Michael Crichton died Nov. 4, 2008 after a battle with cancer. He was 66. Associated Press

Celebrities who have died

Pulitzer Prize-winning author Studs Terkel died Oct. 31, 2008. He was 96. AP

Celebrities who have died

Acid-tonged fashion critic Mr. Blackwell, Richard Blackwell, died Oct. 19, 2008. AP

Celebrities who have died

In this March 1994 file photo, actor Paul Newman holds the Oscar he received for the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award in Los Angeles. Newman, the Academy-Award winning superstar who personified cool as an activist, race car driver, popcorn impresario and the anti-hero of such films as "Hud," "Cool Hand Luke" and "The Color of Money," died Friday, Sept. 26, 2008 of cancer. He was 83. AP

Celebrities who have died

Actors Joanne Woodward and Paul Newman appear in the film ''A Long Hot Summer'' in this 1958 file photo. AP

Celebrities who have died

Peanuts animator Bill Melendez, the animator who gave life to the Peanuts characters in scores of TV specials and movies, including holiday classics such as "A Charlie Brown Christmas," died Sept. 2, 2008 in Santa Monica, Calif. AP

Celebrities who have died

In this March 1980 file photo Jerry Reed, center, gets a surprise cake from star Burt Reynolds, left, to commemorate Reed's 25 years in show business. Reed, best known for appearing in the "Smokey and the Bandit" movies, died Sept. 1, 2008. He was 71. AP

Celebrities who have died

Actor/singer Isaac Hayes attends the handprint ceremony inducting him into the Hollywood RockWalk at the Guitar Center November 4, 2004 in Hollywood, California. Hayes died Aug. 10, 2008 at 65. AP

Celebrities who have died

Russian writer Alexander Solzhenitsyn, the Nobel prize-winning chronicler of the horrors of the Soviet gulag system, died Aug. 3, 2008. AP

Celebrities who have died

Carnegie Mellon University professor Randy Pausch, the computer scientist whose "last lecture" about facing terminal cancer became an Internet sensation and a best-selling book, died July 25, 2008. He was 47. AP

Celebrities who have died

Actor Bernie Mac arrives to Paramount Pictures' premiere of 'Transformers' in June of 2007 in Westwood, Calif. Comedian Bernie Mac, 50, died Aug. 9, 2008, from complications of pneumonia. Kevin Winter/Getty Images

Celebrities who have died

Conservative commentator and former White House press secretary Tony Snow died of cancer July 12, 2008. He was 53. Associated Press

Celebrities who have died

Comedian George Carlin died of a heart attack June 22, 2008. One of his famous comedic bits was a rant on the seven words you can't say on television. Carlin was 71. AP

Celebrities who have died

Actress Cyd Charisse, the long-legged Texas beauty who danced with the Ballet Russe as a teenager and starred in MGM musicals with Fred Astaire and Gene Kelly, died June 17, 2008 at the age of 86. AP

Celebrities who have died

Moderator Tim Russert is seen on the set of "Meet the Press." Russert collapsed and died June 13, 2008 while at work in Washington. AP

Celebrities who have died

Jim McKay, the veteran and eloquent sportscaster thrust into the role of telling Americans about the tragedy at the 1972 Munich Olympics, died June 7, 2008. He was 86. AP

Celebrities who have died

In this 1998 photo, Bo Diddley holds his Grammy award for Lifetime Achievement at the 40th Annual Grammy Awards at Radio City Music Hall in New York. Diddley died of heart failure June 2, 2008 in Florida. He was 79. AP

Celebrities who have died

Actor-director-producer Mel Ferrer, who starred in scores of movies and directed his late wife, Audrey Hepburn in numerous others, died at age 90, June 2, 2008, at his ranch near Santa Barbara, Calif. AP

Celebrities who have died

French fashion designer Yves St. Laurent arrives at the 18th Annual American Fashion Awards June 2, 1999, in New York. St. Laurent died at age 71 on June 1. 2008. Stan Honda/AFP/Getty Images

Celebrities who have died

Actor Harvey Korman, left. shown with actor Tim Conway, died May 29, 2008. The comedian was well known for his role on "The Carol Burnett Show," and the film "Blazing Saddles." Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images

Celebrities who have died

U.S. film director Sydney Pollack died of cancer May 26, 2008 at his home in Pacific Palisades, Calif. He was 73. AP

Celebrities who have died

Comedian Dick Martin appears at the First Official TV Land Convention at the Burbank Airport Hilton on August 16, 2003 in Burbank, California. Martin, the zany half of the comedy team Rowan and Martin, died May 24, 2008. He was 86. AP

Celebrities who have died

Country music legend Eddy Arnold is shown in his memorabilia-filled office in Brentwood, Tenn. Arnold died May 8, 2008. AP

Celebrities who have died

National Rifle Association (NRA) President Charlton Heston holds up a rifle during his address at the 131st NRA convention at the Reno-Sparks Convention Center in Reno, Nevada, April 27, 2002. Heston died April 5, 2008. He starred in movies such as "Ben Hur," "The Ten Commandments" and "Planet of the Apes." Candice Towell/Getty Images

Celebrities who have died

In this 1982 file photo, Actor Richard Widmark poses for a photograph in London. Widmark, who often portrayed killers, cops and Western gunslingers, died at his home in Roxbury, Conn., March 24, 2008 after a long illness. He was 93. AP

Celebrities who have died

Science fiction writer Arthur C. Clarke poses at his home in Colombo, Sri Lanka. Clarke, the author of more than 100 books, including "2001: A Space Odyssey," died March 19, 2008. He was 90. AP

Celebrities who have died

In this 1961 file photo, actor Paul Scofield poses in character for his role as Sir Thomas More in the play "A Man For All Seasons." Scofield, the towering British stage actor who won international fame and an Academy Award for the film "A Man for All Seasons," was 86 when he died March 19, 2008. He had been suffering from leukemia. AP

Celebrities who have died

William F. Buckley Jr., the conservative pioneer and television "Firing Line" host, died Feb. 27, 2008. AP

Celebrities who have died

Feb. 15: American adventurer Steve Fossett is declared legally dead. Fossett disappeared Sept. 3, 2007 while flying over the mountains in eastern California. Authorities say a hiker found a plane and items belonging to Fossett. AP

Celebrities who have died

Latter Day Saints President Gordon B. Hinckley, of Salt Lake City, Jan. 27, 2008. He was 97. AP

Celebrities who have died

Actor Roy Scheider, an actor trained in the classics but best known for his role as the agonized police chief in the film "Jaws," died Feb. 10, 2008. He was 75. Lawrence Lucier/Getty Images

Celebrities who have died

In this Nov. 23, 2005 picture, Gordon B. Hinckley, president of the Mormon church, speaks during an interview in Salt Lake City. In the background is a portrait of Brigham Young, the church's second president who led the faithful to Utah. Hinckley, the longest-serving president of the Mormon church who presided over one of the greatest periods of expansion in its history, died Jan. 27, 2008. He was 97. AP

Celebrities who have died

Actor Heath Ledger died Jan. 22, 2008, at his home in New York. Official cause of death was an accidental drug overdose. Ledger starred in "Brokeback Mountain," "The Dark Knight," and numerous other films. He was 31. AP

Celebrities who have died

On Jan. 22, 2008, the body of actor Heath Ledger is removed from a Soho apartment by the NYC Medical Examiner in New York. AP

Celebrities who have died

July 8, 2012: Ernest Borgnine, the beefy screen star known for blustery, often villainous roles, but who won the best-actor Oscar for playing against type as a lovesick butcher in "Marty" in 1955, died at the age of 95. Ric Francis/Associated Press

Celebrities who have died

July 31, 2012: Gore Vidal, the author, playwright, politician and commentator whose vast and sharpened range of published works and public remarks were stamped by his immodest wit and unconventional wisdom, died at his home in the Hollywood Hills of complications from pneumonia at age 86. AP

Celebrities who have died

Aug. 20, 2012: Phyllis Diller, the housewife turned humorist who aimed some of her sharpest barbs at herself, punctuating her jokes with her trademark cackle, died in Los Angeles at age 95. Charley Gallay/Getty Images

Celebrities who have died

Sept. 25, 2012: Andy Williams, who had a string of gold albums and hosted several variety shows and specials such as, "The Andy Williams Show," died at his home in Branson, Missouri, following a yearlong battle with bladder cancer. He was 84. AP

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Celebrities who have died

Randy Cordova, The Republic | azcentral.com Published 5:00 a.m. MT Dec. 5, 2017 | Updated 6:16 p.m. MT Dec. 28, 2017

Rose Marie, best remembered as salty Sally Rogers on TV's "The Dick Van Dyke Show," died Thursday, Dec. 28, at age 94. Her amazingly long career, which began when she was a toddler, was the subject of the recent documentary "Wait for Your Laugh." This month, she agreed to an interview with azcentral to discuss the movie and her career. Originally, she was going to do the interview by phone, but her publicist switched to an email conversation at the last minute. Either way, she sounded warm, enthusiastic and funny, just like the Rose Marie we grew up watching on TV.

Here is the story as it originally ran on Dec. 5, 2017.

At age 94, Rose Marie is suddenly happening again.

She's earning raves for a new documentary, "Wait for Your Laugh" — it opens Friday in Phoenix — that tells the story of her amazing show-biz career, which spans from the vaudeville era to the Twitter age. Oh yes, she boasts more than 125,000 followers on Twitter, including the likes of Mark Ruffalo and D.L. Hughley.

A delightfully brassy personality who could do it all — sing, dance, act and knock out a one-liner — Rose Marie's deep resume includes not just playing feisty working-woman Sally on "The Dick Van Dyke Show," but Broadway, nightclubs, "The Doris Day Show" and 4 Girls 4, a kind of '70s supergroup featuring vintage female performers.

She remembers it all and will tell you about it in a fun email exchange in which she discusses different aspects of her career. She reveals what Hollywood icon sends her baked goods and offers her take on her so-called comeback.

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Q: As "Baby Rose Marie," you sounded like a woman even when you were a little girl. Where did that maturity come from?

A: I have no idea. It was just there. This is the voice I've always had, from the time I was 3 years old.

Q: "The Dick Van Dyke Show" is such a classic, it can overshadow other aspects of your career. How do you feel about that?

A: I just think it was one of the biggest things in my career. There were other parts of my career for which I was very grateful and from which I learned a lot. I'm very grateful to Sally and it doesn't upset me because most of the time people either were too young or too old to know the other stuff.

Q: Did you realize at the time what a breakthrough character Sally was for women?

A: No, not until I got into the part. I couldn't tell from the beginning because there wasn't that much. The part built up little by little until I realized what we were really doing, which was helping women all over the country to be as liberated as I was. I answered to nobody. I just did my job. I forced my way through and didn't take no for an answer. You've got to believe in yourself first. And that's what Sally did for women.

Q: The documentary talks about tension between you and Mary Tyler Moore. Did you ever warm up to each other?

A: I think at the end when we did the (2004) reunion show, we did. We were finally able to get together. We were never that close. We were friendly. We worked well together, everything was fine. There were never any disagreements or arguments or anything like that between us. We just didn't hit it off, but part of that was because she was busy working with Dick, and I was busy with Morey (Amsterdam) and (Richard) Deacon. It was almost as if there were two sides of the show.

Q: Are any parts of the documentary difficult for you to watch?

A: Of course. Everything about my husband. The wonderful time I had with my husband, how happy I was with him, and how devastated I was when he passed away.

Q: Tell us about your friendship with Doris Day.

A: Well, she had just lost her husband. I had just lost mine, and I thought, "Well that's a good thing to begin a new show — we've both lost our husbands. We've got something in common." And so I met her and I must say she's the sweetest person God ever created. He gave her everything. She's sweet. She's adorable. She's friendly. She wouldn't hurt a fly. She's exactly as you see her and I love her very, very much. We got along absolutely fantastic. We had fun together. We're still friends. She calls me once in a while and I call her. I send her my spaghetti sauce. She sends me baked goods. We're just very, very good friends. And it was such a great honor to work with her.

Q: Your husband filmed the wonderful backstage footage and home movies of you that are included in the film. Why was he documenting so much?

A: It was the rage at that time to have a home movie camera. We shot everything.

Q: People talk about the scrapbooks you have on your career: How many do you have and where do you keep them?

A: All the scrapbooks I have... I made a scrapbook on each year for a long time. My director (Jason Wise) would tell you there's hundreds, but I'm not really sure how many. I just know there's a lot. And everything was kept here in the house in the back room. It became like a storage room. I kept everything.

Q: Regarding 4 Girls 4: In the film, you talk about Rosemary Clooney and Helen O'Connell. What were your experiences like with Margaret Whiting?

A: Well, Margaret was wonderful. I used to call her Miss Show Business because she wouldn't let anything stop her from putting on a good show. She would be just wonderful, and always there and ready to help to do anything. When we got to a town, Margaret would be the first one to go looking around the town to find out where we could eat and where the best shopping was. Then she'd come back and give us all the run down. She was just wonderful. She was our advance man. We remained close until she died (in 2011).

Q: You've worked with so many greats. Is there anyone you wanted to work with and never did?

A: I would have loved to have done "Columbo" and I would have loved to have done "Murder, She Wrote." I would have loved to have worked with Angela Lansbury, and I would have loved to work with Peter Falk.

Q: When did you quit smoking?

A: I think it was about 25 years ago when I quit, maybe more. Jack Klugman did a commercial about smoking and he said something about it being bad for you, it was this, it was that. He said you're putting fire in your mouth or something like that, and I heard that and for some reason or another that set me off and I said, "that's it, no more," and I quit cold turkey and I've never looked back.

Q: What do you watch on TV these days?

A: "Columbo," "Murder, She Wrote," the news, "Boston Legal." And if I can find a good old movie, like one with Bette Davis or something like that, I'll watch it.

Q: With the success of the documentary, some people are talking about this as a comeback for you.

A: A comeback? Are you serious? I would love to come back if I could. I think I can still work, except I can't stand and I have to be in a wheelchair, but I figure if it's good for Lionel Barrymore, it's good for me!

Reach the reporter at randy.cordova@arizonarepublic.com or 602-444-8849. Twitter.com/randy_cordova.

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